Seminar
Cinema: A Powerful Medium for Socio-Political Change
Cinema: A Powerful Medium for Socio-Political Change
“Reality and Cinema” - an insightful seminar organized by FIPRESCI in association with FFSI, was held at the Tagore Theatre premises as part of the 29th IFFK. In the session moderated by Sachin Chate, Girish Kasaravalli delivered the inaugural address, while V.K. Joseph chaired the session. The panel of speakers included critics Madhu Janardhanan and Sreedevi P. Aravind, as well as filmmaker Subrata Beura.
Renowned filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli emphasised the need for cinema to engage with and respond to real socio-political issues as Indian cinema often portrays visible societal problems, many crucial yet invisible stories remain underrepresented. He added that marginalised issues, which deserve attention in any civilised society, must find a voice through cinema.
V.K Joseph, President of FIPRESCI India expressed his views on how we hold unending conversations with which we aim to enquire about what is happening in Indian cinema. Filmmaker Subrata Beura raised pertinent questions about the disproportionate number of film institutes compared to IITs in contemporary India. He also mentioned major challenges like funding and that the audience is now exposed to a diverse range of media and content.
Film critic Madhu Janardhanan elaborated on the initiatives undertaken in the country to foster cinematic development. Sreedevi P. Aravind shared an optimistic perspective, observing that the political narratives in films produced by the new generation are promising. She noted that such films are increasingly finding platforms to reach audiences.
