The 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in collaboration with UNICEF is screening five films that deal with child rights. Out of five films, two are from India, while three are from Iran and Sri Lanka.
Two Indian films include national award-winning Bengali film Damu, directed by Raja Sen. The film is about an orphan boy, sheltered and raised by a kind man. The second Indian film is Manish Saini-directed Gujarati movie ‘Gandhi & Co.’ The film, which revolves around two mischievous boys, has also bagged National Film Awards. Three foreign films include the Persian film ‘For the Sake of Ava’ directed by Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Seraji; the Sinhalese film ‘Peacock Lament’, directed by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara and the Persian film ‘Singo’, directed by Alireza Mohammadi Rouzbahany.
These films reflect on the dynamic forces that shape childhood and examines its socio-economic contexts. This year, UNICEF and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the organizer of IFFI, have partnered to focus attention of the film industry and audiences on child rights. The partnership draws attention on portrayal of violence against children, adolescents, and women in films. NFDC’s partnership with UNICEF at IFFI underscore the efforts to create more awareness on the issues and generate wider discourses on child rights.
