Cinema Beyond Stereotypes, this year's theme for Oxfam Best Film On Gender Equality Award 2018 at Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star
- By
- 04 Oct, 2018
Nine films have been shortlisted for this year’s Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award 2018 at Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star.
The films in the reckoning for this year's Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award are powerful dramas, in various Indian languages, that make compelling social commentary on the times we live in.
This year, Oxfam India is challenging filmmakers, producers and artists to create cinema that breaks the stereotypical portrayal of male and female characters in films. The theme for this year’s award is “Cinema Beyond Stereotypes”.
In 2017, Rima Das' Assamese film 'Village Rockstars' won the Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award at MAMI and later bagged the National Award and is now India's official entry to the Oscars.
Director Rima Das will be one of the jury members for this year’s award along with National Award winning actor Parvathy and CEO of the Doha Film Institute Fatima Al Remaihi.
From Marathi film 'Imago' that tells the story of a shy, teenage girl battling leucoderma and the social stigma around it; to 'Hamid' that explores the two sides of the Kashmir conflict through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy; to Kannada film 'Balekempa' that revolves around a couple unable to conceive a child; and Bengali film 'Jonaki' that explores an 80-year-old woman's search for love are on the list.
Making the decision even tougher for the jury are five other strong films ‘Soni’ a Hindi film directed by Ivan Ayr; ‘Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil’ directed by Aadish Keluskar; ‘Light In The Room’ (‘Ottamuri Velicham’) directed by Rahul Riji Nair; Kannada film ‘Nathicharami’ directed by Mansore and ‘Sivaranjani And Two Other Women’, a Tamil film directed by Vasanth S Sai.
Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India said:
“We are thrilled that this year the number of shortlisted films have increased from four films last year to nine. This is a reflection of the changing times in cinema industry worldwide. Stories that uphold a mirror to socio-political realities in India and that defy stereotypes of caste, class and gender are being made, accepted and appreciated. Women in films are making space to be heard both on and off-screen. The award is to appreciate, celebrate and support stories and people in the industry challenging the status quo. The shortlisted films are in different Indian languages--- Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali and each film has an arresting narrative. It gives us great joy that last year's winner 'Village Rockstars' is this year India’s entry for the Oscars."
The winner of the Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award 2018 at MAMI for this year will be announced on November 1st, 2018 - on the closing night of the festival.
For media queries please contact Media Coordinator, Himanshi Matta, himanshi@oxfamindia.org, 8860182310
Recent News
Related Stories
20 Feb, 2022
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
Village Backs Mohalla Classes
As all Mohalla Classes, the one in Bhaisani village too started with the sole aim to bridge the learning gap and to ensure that children, who lost two precious years of school, can be mainstreamed into formal schooling. Thirty children have been coming to the Mohalla Classes for the last two months. Of the 30, 19 are girls and 11 are boys. The Classes are continuing with regular school.
Read More
18 Feb, 2022
Nalanda, Bihar
Making Students Computer Savvy
Oxfam India-HDFC stepped in with the installation of Smart Classes/Digital Learning Lab. Under this initiative, computers were installed to make government schools more computer-savvy; these were installed in three schools—Middle School in Indaut Village, Middle School in Rampur Village and the Senior Secondary School in Amar Village—in Nalanda District. Each Smart Class has six computers powered with solar energy. Computer teachers from local computer coaching centers were hired to train students and teacher; the trainers undertook a 52-hour course that were designed by the NIIT Foundation.
Read More
09 Feb, 2022
Nalanda, Bihar
Sangita’s Shop
With monetary support from the Oxfam India-HDFC initiative, Sangita Devi has enhanced and taken over the once part-time grocery shop from her husband and is now running it full time. She has added a cosmetics section and plans to do more in the days to come. She is earning INR 3000 every month from the shop.
Read More
03 Feb, 2022
Koraput, Odisha
For Vegetable Farmer Bati Hantal, Age Is Just A Number
Bati Hantal is one enthusiastic farmer. At 65 not only has she diversified her farming practices and increased her farm income, she is also an inspiration and a driving force for women farmers in her village, her SHG, and her Farmer Producer Group. The Oxfam India-SDMC Trust project, with support from NGOs WORD and Prastutee, was started in the Semiliguda and Pottangi blocks of Koraput in February 2021. The project aimed at strengthening 2000 economically vulnerable, and small and marginal women farmers from the tribal communities.
Read More
