Four-day film festival on women from today

There will also be lectures and discussions with eminent filmmakers, environmentalists and women’s rights activists

Bangalore Film Society is presenting ‘Jacaranda Tales’, a film festival on women and nature, from March 23 to 26.

The festival will showcase both Indian and international women-centric films on various environmental-related topics. “Apart from film screenings, there will also be various lectures and discussions with eminent filmmakers, environmentalists and women’s rights activists,” says Georgekutty, secretary, Bangalore Film Society.

About 24 films will be screened at the festival, in various languages, including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Pahadi, and Tamil. Among some of the movies that will be screened are ‘Aikya’, ‘Dweepa’, ‘If she built a country’, and ‘Coral Women’. “The aim of the event is to recognise and celebrate the efforts of women in nurturing nature. So we thought March would be the appropriate month to launch the film festival, after we observed the International Women’s Day,” he tells Metrolife. “We want the event to be accessible to all. We’re trying to convey an important message about sustainability and development. It’s necessary that everyone is a part of this conversation,” he adds.

The event is named after the popular Jacaranda trees of Bengaluru. “These trees primarily bloom between February and May. These blooms paint the Bengaluru skies purple, a colour that feminists have historically used to represent the women’s liberation movement. So the name sits well with the theme and timing,” explains Georgekutty.

The festival is on from March 23 to 26, at Gandhi Bhavan Auditorium, Kumara Park East. Entry to all the screenings and discussions is free. For details, visit bangalorefilmsociety.org