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February 2008

Shailey Hingorani New Delhi

A tiny workplace in Tara Apartments, New Delhi, comes alive every third Saturday of the month. It reverberates with discussion, debates and friendly arguments over a film that the audience has just watched. This vibrant film club started by Kriti, an NGO, in 1999, is attracting genuine admirers of socially relevant cinema across the city. Generally, documentaries are shown. "We want films to do more than just entertain," said Aanchal Kapur, team leader, Kriti. "Documentaries shouldn't be restricted to film festivals that take place once a year. Films should occupy a constant space in the minds of the people. The fiery discussions that take place after a film is shown have strengthened our belief that films are a great way of initiating a discussion." In fact, that's what attracts film buffs: the movie doesn't end once the reel is over but 'kick-starts' a discussion. Even better, the director of the film is invited to discuss his or her work with the audience, answer questions and perhaps defend his or her position. With a variety of documentaries to choose from, it must be tough making a choice. Kapur doesn't think so. "Films are chosen usually as a response to or in support of people's movements. So they are mostly topical.

This month we screened Dakal, a film on forest rights," she said. The Forest Rights Act was notified on 1 January after a long campaign by people's groups and NGOs and the film was screened on 12 January. "It isn't easy to find a ready audience for documentaries and it is here that the film club really scores," said Deepak Roy, director of Dakal. "The easy interaction with the audience is essential for the director who needs critical feedback for his films to know what he is doing right and where he is going wrong." What makes it even more comfortable for directors to collaborate with Kriti is the club's non-biased and non-judgmental stand. Directors the club regularly collaborates with include Amar Kanwar, Shikha Jighan, Sanjay Kak and Krishnendu Bose. Their films in the past have been well received by the audience. Amateur and professional filmmakers, young and old hands, are invited regularly to Kriti Film Club to showcase Indian, South-Asian and international films. Kriti collaborates with filmmakers to disseminate information about their work through their mailing lists and helps with their sales by carrying their films with them to outstation stalls and by housing them at their workplace. As a member of the film club you can screen, borrow and buy films too. All are welcome. Members are a varied group consisting of students, activists, homemakers, teachers and so on.

That is why the club has an informal neighbourhood feel. The average attendance at a screening is 20 to 40 people, apart from the filmmaker. Kriti screens the film even if the audience is small. With a collection of about 300 films available to screen, borrow and buy, the film club is a pioneer in the kind of work that it does. Although members and nonmembers can access the film club, members get benefits. They can borrow more films for less money. Members pay Rs 75 per film and they can borrow up to three films for threeweeks. Non-members pay Rs 150 per film and can borrow three films for two weeks. Kriti Film Club is not privately funded or funded by an institution. It runs on the contributions of the audience members, who drop their contributions in a box which is placed in front of everyone after the film is over. Kapur added, "We break the box on Diwali and usually find about Rs 3,000 every year." A few apprehensions have been voiced about the film club. These have to do with spatial constraints. Kapur said, "Many people would like us to screen at bigger venues so that the film club gets the audience that it deserves. People also want us to hold screenings regularly, and that's something we are working on." The film club is very serious about retaining its dynamism. For this reason it doesn't plan its screenings in advance and lets the choice of film be responsive to topical issues. The films which are chosen to be screened are decided a week in advance and the audience is informed through a mailing list which reaches over 5,000 people.

For further details contact: Kriti Team,S-35 Tara Apartments, Alaknanda, New Delhi Ph:26027845, 26033088 space.kriti@gmail.com

 

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