Workers Film Festival 2016

Workers Film Festival 2016

Screening Schedule with synopsis
1 May, 11 am to 8 pm; Periyar Thidal, Chennai

Jointly organized by MARUPAKKAM & Periyar Self Respect Media

Curated by Amudhan R.P.

Coordinated by Prince Ennares Periyar

11 am ARRIVAL

Directed by Mani Kaul, Music, Colour, 1980, 20 min

Concerning the arrival of commodities such as vegetables and livestock as well as human labour into a city from rural areas, this film explores the product-commodity-exchange value relationship. Representing in itself a variety of exchange values, money as capital destroys the natural specificity of people and things. In the process, the labourer is reduced to a mere commodity.

11:30 DILLY DALLYING

Directed by KL Khandpur, English, 10 min, B/W, 1957

A short-fiction film set in the city of Mumbai, focusing on the importance of punctuality in the life of the individual towards the service of the nation. The message of the film is that the habit of procrastination and vacillation can ruin a man and harm society at large.

11:50 VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

 Directed by S. Sukhdev, English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali with English subtitles, B/W, 1974, 17 min

“On the 16th of April, I read a news item that there is going to be an all India railway strike. I got a little worried. We decided to take the camera out to the people and ask them a few questions.” Film maker S. Sukhdev proceeds to interview the labour force and the average traveller in the city to make a compelling anti-strike argument for the state. The strike was called by labour leader George Fernandes who does not feature in the film.

12:20 La parka

Dir: Gabriel Serra; 29 min; Spanish; Mexico; 2013; Documentary

Efrain, known as the Reaper, has worked at a slaughterhouse for 25 years. We discover his deep relationship with death and his struggle to live.

1:00 A Tres Pesos

Dir: Rosalie Hubl; 19:59 min; Spanish; Mexico; 2013; Documentary

The film narrates an ordinary day in the subway of Mexico City.

1:30 lunch break

2:30 pm Playgrounds

Dir: Pallavi MD & Shamik Sen Gupta; 18 min; Short film; Hindi, Kannada & Tamil; 2014

In a dusty suburban street, children play hide ’n’ seek in the dusk. 3 year old Murli hides somewhere no one can find him and falls asleep. When he wakes up he is in a different neighbourhood where an angry bearded man is shouting at everyone. But Murli can’t understand a single word of what the man is saying. He just wants to go home to his mother.

3:00 First Cry

Dir : T.G.Ajay; 52 min; Documentary; Chhatisgarhi, Bengali & Hindi; 2014

In 1981, under the leadership of Shankar Guha Niyogy of the Chhattisgarh Mazdoor Shramik Sangh, the mine workers of Bhillai Steel Plant in Dalli Rajhara, in Chhatisgarh, India, acted on a need sorely felt by them, to have a hospital that would not turn them away, to cater only to the middle class. Over 10,000 workers donated their wages and built Shahid hospital, brick by brick, with their own hands. The workers invited doctors like Dr. Binayak Sen, Dr Saibal Jana and others to join and they themselves trained as auxiliary staff to assist them.

4:00 Jagadish Bhai – A life in Progress

Dir: Shasi Ghosh Gupta; 23 min; Hindi; Documentary; 2015

Life and journey of a security guard and an ex Border Security Force personnel Jagadish Bhai, is told through his daily chores of protecting one of the premier educational institutions in India.

6:00 pm Dollar City

Dir: Amudhan R.P.; 72 min; Tamil with Eng sub; Documentary; 2015

Tirupur, a south Indian city which is known as Dollar City for its export oriented garment industry is a perfect example for display and implementation of Gramsci’s manufacture of consent. There is a consensus between workers, trade unions and factory owners to run the industry at any cost, compromising on workers’ rights and environment protection laws. The film tries to record this notorious camaraderie.