Travelling film festival that focuses on gender begins in Kochi on Tuesday

The festival package of 24 national and international short films, documentaries and features span gender and related topics.

Sacred Heart College Film Club, in association with the English Department and Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA), is hosting a two-day travelling film festival, SamaBhav, from Tuesday. The themes for the festival are gender, sexuality, masculinity and diversity. 

The festival package of 24 national and international short films, documentaries and features span gender and related topics. The films deal with various forms of gender-based discrimination and violence against women, breaking gender binaries, toxic masculinity and transphobia. Among the films that will be screened are Ruchibhedam, Naanu Ladies, Gandi Baat, We Need to Talk, Gair, Counterfeit Kunkoo, Sandhya, Muhafiz, Footprints, Sunday, My Mother’s Girlfriend and Black Roses and Red Dresses.   

A travelling film festival, SamaBhav (Equanimity), which turns five, started its journey this year in Mumbai in February. On its map for the year are Bengaluru, Pune, Guwahati, Kohima, Chennai, Srinagar, and Ahmedabad besides Thimphu (Bhutan) and Jakarta (Indonesia). The festival, open to college students, seeks to engage youth through interactions with experts on contemporary gender issues and intersectionality, related to all genders. It aims to provide a safe, non-threatening platform to open up. 

Gender rights activists Harish Sadani, Lavanya Soman, Prof. Asha Achy Joseph of the Women in Cinema Collective and queer rights activists Anagh and Sheethal Shyam will participate in the discussions. 

SamaBhav will be held at Marian Hall, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.