Sheila Dikshit inaugurates TRI Continental Film Festival

TRI Continental Human Right Film Festival is a gift from ‘Breakthrough’, an international human rights organisation to present before us various issues related to human right through this medium. The festival kicked on January 18 was inaugurated by Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi at India Habitat Centre.

The festival which was started in India in 2004 display movies from Latin America, Africa and Asia in all four metropolitan cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore. This year 23 documentaries are selected to be screened at this event including 3 from India.

The festival made its triumphant beginning with the screening of Iranian film by Mehrad Oskouei, It's Always Late for Freedom, the story of three teenage boys in Tehran House of Correction and their hope for freedom.

The Tri-Continental Film Festival will also travel to Mumbai (25th January to 27th), Bangalore (February 1 to 3rd) and Kolkata (February 8 to 10).

Associate director of Breakthrough, Alika Khosla said, “Through this film festival we want the Indian audience to get exposed to the human rights violations and issues like exploitation and social injustice which are happening in the other countries.”

“Our aim is to develop a culture of human rights and the film festival attempts to bring the awareness among the youths because they are the change makers of the society,” Khosla added.

The documentaries from Indian pavilion include A Jihad for Love by Parvez Sharma, Thousand days and a Dream by P Baburaj and C Saratchandran and a short animation film by Aditi Chitre The Mall on Top of My House a film on development at the cost of human resources.

Parvej Sharma, filmmaker from Delhi got the first prize for his documentary A Jihaad for Love, a story span around a gay couple and Iranian director Mehrdad Oskouei It's Always Late For Freedom was the runner up.

The organiser believes that such film will certainly increase the awareness among people regarding various problems and issue related to human right and will help developing a strong culture of human rights.