Anand Patwardhan's 'War and Peace' to be screened at Gandhi Film Fest

CHENNAI: Filmed for over four years in India, Pakistan, Japan and the US following nuclear tests in the Indian sub-continent, Anand Patwardhan's '

War and Peace

' is a documentary journey of peace activism in the face of global militarism and war. The film, framed by the murder of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, will be screended among other films as part of the Gandhi Film Festival, to be held at Periyar Thidal on October 2. Documentaries like 'Salt Stories' directed by Lalit Vachani, 'Dhanga Mil Gaya' (found a thread) directed by Tangella Madhavi and Amudhan RP’s 'Hey Mr Gandhi!' will also be screened as part of the fest.

Vachani’s 84-minute-long 'Salt Stories' is set against the backdrop of Gandhi's Dandi march. It is a documentary about 'the salt stories' of our times as well. Madhavi’s 25-minute-long 'Dhaga Mil Gaya' presents the world of Malti, a Gandhian living in Sewagram. It takes interesting turns as the director’s lifestyle come face-to-face and stands in contrast to Malti’s. The documentary talks about consumerism and the relevance of Gandhian values in the contemporary world.

Amudhan RP’s 'Hey Mr Gandhi!' talks about the story of three villages near Madurai. A cluster of three villages near Madurai inhabited by small and medium farmers, depending upon a common land for grazing and cultivation is under threat now as the government wants to set up a tax free

Special Economic Zone

(SEZ) for Indian and international corporate companies. The film remembers and recalls Mahatma Gandhi who always preferred and supported rural economy and agriculture. Organised by the

Marupakkam

and Periyar Self Respect Media, the screenings will follow discussions on Gandhi and the relevance of his ideology today.