South Asian documentary fest stresses on human rights

DHAKA - “Afghan Girls Can Kick”, a film on girls playing football in conflict-torn Afghanistan, drew loud applause from cine lovers at a three-day documentary film festival that ended here Saturday.

The film by Baharei Husseini was part of the festival titled ‘Travelling Film South Asia 2010 Dhaka’ that emphasised on human rights and the shared cultural practices of the South Asian nations, Shaheen Anam of Bangladeshi human rights organization Manusher Jonno said.

The Indian entries screened on the last day were “The Salt Stories” and “Saaman”.

Sri Lankan film “Mayomi” directed by Carol Salter and Nepali movie “In Search of Riyal” were the other highlights of the fest.

The festival, inaugurated by Shaheen Thursday, was also attended by noted filmmakers Tareq Masud and Morshedul Islam.

Bangladeshi film-maker Tareq Masud said: “Documentary films are often neglected in our countries. That is why no one comes forward to patronise the documentary filmmakers. But I believe that documentaries can represent reality more effectively than other forms of films.”

“The Last Rites”, a Bangladeshi film by Yasmine Kabir which was screened at the inaugural session, highlighted the dehumanising effect of the ship-breaking yards on the labourers who work in a perilous environment contaminated with toxic waste to earn their bread. It attracted the viewers for its unconventional making too. No narrator was used in the film. Instead, creative use of sound effects did the job of narrating.

Another Bangladeshi film-maker Tanvir Mokammel’s “The Promised Land” focused on the isolated lives of Urdu-speaking people living in Bangladesh, who had originally emigrated from India in 1947.

The Nepali films screened were “Children of God” and “The Way of the Road”.

The 12 documentaries screened at the festival were selected from the South Asian Documentary Film Festival held every year in Nepal, Anam told New Age newspaper.