National award for film fest reject'

KOLKATA: For the second year running, a documentary that was turned down by the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) selection committee has won the national award. This time, it is a film on trafficking of women by Kolkata-based film-maker, writer and activist Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti.
The 87-minute feature length documentary Understanding Trafficking' is an allegorical take on the Sita-Lakshmanrekha' episode to explore both trafficking and the patriarchal structure of a society that creates the distinction of a good' and a bad' woman.
"A majority of women are not allowed to cross the line and become independent. Among those who exercise the independence, some stand the risk of being trafficked. Once a woman is trafficked, she is branded a bad woman," said Ananya.
While she is delighted at winning the national award in the best documentary category on social issues, she also feels vindicated in taking on former films division chief producer Kuldip Sinha, who handpicked a panel that decided Understanding Trafficking' was unworthy for the MIFF. The MIFF is the only official competitive documentary festival in the country held every alternative year.
Sourav Sarangi's Bilal' that had won standing ovation at all international festivals and numerous awards, was also considered unfit for screening at the festival. In fact, so mediocre was the selection at MIFF 2010 that the jury did not award the first prize to any of the feature length documentaries that were screened."Documentary film-makers wait for MIFF. When Bilal and my films were rejected, it was shocking," said Ananya. Bilal' won the National Award in 2010. Understanding Trafficking' has followed it this year.
Ananya, Sarangi and Supriyo Sen ( Wagah') had taken the Films Division to court but the case was dismissed on the technical point that the selection panel had not been made a party to the case.
The trio had contemplated going to the Supreme Court but did not as that would mean additional expenses. Now with two of the three film-makers winning the national award, their stand has been vindicated.