World Population Day Film Festival, Chennai

World’s Population Day Film Festival, Chennai 

12 July, Stella Maris College; 10 am to 4 pm 

Jointly organised by Department of Social Work and MARUPAKKAM 

Curated by Amudhan RP

10 am  Inauguration 

10.30 am 

God Vulture and Human - A hero’s dichotomy 

Dir : Rishiraj Agarwal; 49.27 min; Documentary; India 

The film explores the subject of organ donation through the lens of transplant coordinators working, highlighting their role in the process of organ donation, retrieval and transplantation. Through the lives of 4 transplant coordinators, the film deals with the intensities of life and death, and an attempt to humanise the coordinators. 

2 Chaak 435 Divas 

Dir: Ganesh Rajkumar Dhotre; 30 min; Documentary; India 

This film is a documentary about a girl who travels all over Maharashtra on a bicycle without money without any support ti spread awareness about conserving the environment, avoiding pollution and women empowerment. She journeyed a total of 17000 kilometers in 435 days.

My Dream is… 

Dir: Riya Hayaran; 16.30 min; Documentary; India; Student film 

This is a short documentary about the power of education, the accessibility of safe nurturing environments to little girls and how these spaces and opportunities shape their dreams in a society where many drop out by the 10th grade. 

Aaha Nanna Maduve Ante!

Dir : Preeti Saga; 28 min; Short fiction; India

Sinchana, a 20-something in Bangalore, does not have life figured out. Her father is mean, getting permission to step out of the house is a chore, her love life is weird, and her best friend is always pushing her to be… better.With her father continuing to push marriage down her throat, Sinchana heads out in the city one day  and finds out that there really are only two options. One, do something. Two, have life do something to you. Which one will she choose?

12.45 pm Interaction 

1 pm : Lunch break

2 pm 

Seaside 

Dir : Iniya Vasanthan; 18.50 min; Documentary; India; Student film 

Kasimedu fish market is one of the major fish markets in Chennai. It is a very lively place all day. From boats bringing fish to people buying it fresh directly from there, everything is quite interesting to observe. Kadaloram(seaside) is a short documentary film made on that place and the people.

Our Odyssey is Red 

Dir : Neha Chaturvedi, Ayushi Shriramwar, Tahir Ahmed Qureshi, Naomi Fleur Jahan; 37.47 min; Documentary; India 

20 diverse young women choose to stay together in a home run by the NGO Kranti in Mumbai, India. What brings them together? Their past, they are all daughters of sex workers, and a very un-common goal to heal themselves and to live a life on their own terms. These women identify as Krantikaris/revolutionaries. 

Death Hotel 

Dir : Gustav Hugo Olsson; 20 min; Documentary; Sweden / India 

In "Death Hotel," we follow 107-year-old Gulchu Bai's final days in the holy city Varanasi, where her family has checked her into one of the city´s revered death hotels to get salvation upon death. 

The film is exploring the complexities of this ancient tradition and its interplay with culture, spirituality, and mortality. A unique reflection on the circle of life, where death is not mourned but rather celebrated. 

When Women Unite 

Dir : Amudhan R.P.; 13 min; India; Documentary

Women farmers and sex workers in Andhra Pradesh organise themselves to assert their rights and freedom to live dignified and respectful lives.

3.45 pm Interaction and closing remarks