Transgender Film fest in Madurai garners attention

The second edition of the National Transgender Film fest just concluded in Madurai. The two day fest saw footfall from students of the college, aspiring filmmakers and the public. Aram fame Gopi Nainar, Kuttram Kadithal fame G.Bramma, and Angadi Theru fame actor Mahesh were invited as guests to the film fest. This Transgender film festival is one of its kind in India and is organized by Transgender Resource Centre in Madurai along with the American college.
Around 24 films were screened in the festival on the first day out of which three films were awarded a cash prize. Priya Babu, organizer of the festival and founder of Transgender resource center in Madurai said, “The media portrays us differently and many a time they miss something in the portrayal, so this film festival is a chance to show us what we are to the society.” This time may transgenders have acted in the films but I long to see many directors from the society.Only one film out of 24 films was directed by a person from the transgender community. Interestingly, that film was directed by Santa Khurai, a Transgender from Manipur said Priya Babu. I met Priya Babu at a conference in Delhi when she mailed me about the film festival for Transgender’s, I was excited to screen my film titled Nawa- Spirit of Atey on a transgender from Meitei tribe said Santa Khurai when contacted through phone.
The best actress award was bagged by S.Inbarasi for Malar while the best film award went to Ival Bharathi directed by Gopi GPR who also won the best actor award for the same film. Inbarasi said, “ this is my first film and it is a great experience to act in a film and the most satisfying part is the film is screened in a festival that celebrated us.” Gopi said, “This is my third film, but this film made me competent as a director as this film touches something big in the society and I am so happy to receive an award from a filmmaker like Gopi Nainar.” The best director award was given by director G.Bramma to Sasthin Bysone, a student from American who is currently pursuing the third year in bachelor's in religion and philosophy. Sashtin said, “this is my first film, from the title, Naduvan to the camera work we worked as a team of friends and it is interesting to direct a film for a cause.”
Gopi Nainar after being felicitated by Priya Babu said, “I haven’t seen a community like Transgenders who fight hard in the society to get recognized.” Many people in the society gets sidelined due to their caste, gender, and class but transgenders are the only community let down by their own family, said Gopi. Our society has all the responsibility to let them live their life of their choice, added Gopi. Angadi Theru Mahesh who gave the best actress award said, “I am currently playing the role of women in my next film titled Teynampettai Mahesh and it is tuff to really pull a women role but in the fest, many actors have easily aced the depiction of transgender- and quality films too!"
Transgender Jeeva Subramaniam who is playing an interesting role in Rajinikanth’s Darbar acted in two short films screened at the fest. she said, "short films played a big role in getting me a place in the silver screen and I feel great to act in two films that are screened in a film fest meant for us. One of my directors, Paul Raj from Coimbatore who directed Agila endra Agilan got the best cinematographer award, Paul Raj being a differently-abled person never looked down and made a great movie in a short period of time." Writer and historian, Vikrama Karna Pazhuvettarayar who was also invited to the fest, said," Historically Tamil culture has accorded a better position to transgenders- but this degraded over time. Take the example of 'Adhikarichigal Padai', a transgender brigade in Chola army."