Film screening followed by discussion
Sudesha

As if ushering in the International Women’s Day (IWD) in March, the Jacaranda trees paint the Bangalore skies purple, a colour that feminists have historically used to represent the Women’s Liberation movement and more recently, the IWD. Jacaranda Tales is a celebration of women’s symbiotic relationship with nature, recognising their often-overlooked contributions to the nurturing of the environment.

Across generations, women have stood up to conserve and protect the environment, often putting themselves at risk. They have led and participated in several movements across cultures and geographies. Despite their significant role, they continue to remain marginalised and vulnerable in the face of multiple challenges that the current and future scenarios present. This film festival is an attempt at showcasing some of these lesser-known stories in India and elsewhere.

Holding it in the month of March gives us an opportunity to express solidarity with International Women’s Day celebrations across the world. In the present context of increasingly brutalised patriarchies and deepening divides of caste, class and religion, it is critical to strengthen women’s aspirations by highlighting their stories of resilience, compassion and hope with women in the forefront.

For the past two years, we have been grappling to find and adjust to new norms and new ways of living. Welcoming the shift from virtual to the real, it will be held in the Gandhi Bhavan auditorium, following COVID-19 protocols.

With the receding of the pandemic, as we welcome life returning to familiar ways of inhabiting, the departures we had to undergo held a mirror to the environmental and economic challenges that endangered lives and livelihoods. It also laid bare the harsh realities of privileges and vulnerabilities of different communities. The pandemic not only altered our relationship with each other but also with nature and the environment at large. We hope this film festival would further help us in recognising these fissures and contribute to the narratives needed in the current situation of a changing climate that urgently demands attention.

The medium of the film helps in creating awareness about environmental issues cutting across class, gender and literacy as it communicates with participants directly through image and sound. Through panel discussions with eminent environmentalists and filmmakers, we aim to bring together women leading these efforts and get insights into their extraordinary lives and struggles.