The excitement was palpable as students from 10 schools in and around the tricity got together at St Kabir Public School for the INTACH Filmit Film Festival 2019-20, to celebrate their own efforts in creating short films which showcase the heritage and culture of their city. The festival was organised by INTACH’S (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Heritage Education and Communication Service. Filmit is a multi-cultural project that allows students to understand the heritage and history of the city in which they live through the medium of films. The project was launched 11 years ago and receives funding from the Helen Hamlyn Trust (United Kingdom). According to Deepika Gandhi, co-convenor of the festival, the Filmit platform allows children to approach history through a unique medium.
Students are trained
in film techniques and development of content and also taught how to develop an
underlying theme for their film which relates to any aspect of culture. They
are further taught the techniques of camera work and editing through a series
of workshops. As part of the event, students introduced their works and shared
their diverse experiences with Filmit. Initially, films shot by students from
all across the country were screened. Many of these were pleas for peace and
harmony and talked about the importance of secularism in today’s political
climate. Others depicted the inequalities present in Indian society and the
destruction of the environment. The films had broad themes and revealed aspects
of Chandigarh’s history and culture that were previously unknown to many in the
audience.
For instance, a group
of students presented a film on the missing Sector 13 of Chandigarh and the
reason for it. Students from St Kabir presented an insightful film on the
history of the Manimajra Fort, while students from St Stephen’s showed their
short film about the famous ‘Daulaat ki Chaat’. As many as 30 films were made
by students in Chandigarh alone. There are many places and many histories
related to that places and someone needs to bring them out and these students
have made their effort and all the hardwork to bring the culture of these
cities to the front and this is how the
festival means to them. There are different cities with huge culture and
relations which are not known by many of us
and this small effort by the students is
really appreciable that how they have worked hard. The approach of the children
towards the history is something really exciting and this is how they have
managed to bring such an aura into these films as well. The films are based on
the culture and the history of the cities and also with that they represent a
true tone of the time and how it is important to respect the fact that no
matter what happens this is our duty to look and take care of the nation and
preserve the history that we have, as we are the ones who have to look after
them.
