[Reader-list] Prof. Ilina Sen will Inaugurate ViBGYOR 2009

[Anivar Aravind]

Dear Friends

Greetings From ViBGYOR Film Collective

Prof.  Ilina Sen, wife of Dr. Binayak Sen inaugurates the 4th Edition
of the ViBGYOR International Film Festival for short & documentary
films at Sangeet Nataka Academy Campus, Thrissur on February 4th.

Dr. Ilina Sen is an internationally known feminist scholar, human
rights activist, a pacifist, an agronomist, a builder and manager of
institutions committed to equitable and participative development, and
an author. She is a professor of Gender Studies at Mahatma Gandhi
Hindi University in Wardha, and manages an innovative NGO, Rupantar in
the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Rupantar, set up by Ilina
and her husband Dr. Binayak Senhouses programs including a village
clinic in a falciparum malaria endemic area, an agricultural program
focused on organic farming and preservation of indigenous biodiversity
(e.g., of rice), program on food security and distribution systems,
and several women's empowerment initiatives including resources for
victims of domestic violence. Together, both Ilina and Binayak have
worked for three decades among some of India's most impoverished and
socially stigmatized populations (miners, peasants and India's
indigenous groups) on issues of health, livelihood and civil
liberties. They have also published several books in Hindi.

On May 14, 2007, Dr. Binayak Sen was arrested in Raipur, under the
controversial Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act. Charges
against him mostly focused on his official activities as general
secretary of India's leading civil liberties organization, the
People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), visiting under-trial
prisoners in the Raipur jail (to record their testimonies about health
and treatment in prison), especially visits to individuals accused as
"Naxalites" (the term for India's Maoists) and allegations that he
"passed messages" to them. Dr. Sen. has denied all these charges
categorically. In the past few months, several national and
international protests and statements of concern have been reported,
including a statement by 22 Nobel Laureates petitioning the government
of India and Chhattisgarh to free Dr. Binayak Sen. Recently, Dr. Sen
was recently awarded the prestigious Jonathan Mann award for Global
Health and Human Rights for his services to poor tribal communities
and his unwavering commitment to human rights.

While Binayak remains in jail, Dr. Ilina Sen has co-coordinated his
legal defense, been his publicist and liaison agent, raised funds,
worked as a college teacher, and looked after the wellbeing and
education of their two daughters. Ilina has made the journey to the US
to receive the Jonathan Mann award on behalf of her husband and to
present his case in person to the world at large.

	
Now it's time for the 4th Edition of ViBGYOR International Short and
Documentary Festival!. It's happening in 4th -8th of February 2009, at
Thrissur, Kerala, India.

Visit Festival Website for Move details
http://www.vibgyorfilm.com

About ViBGYOR
============

ViBGYOR celebrates different identities and the rich diversity of
people, expressed in a festival of short and documentary films held
every year in Thrissur, Kerala. The non-feature films showcased at
ViBGYOR reveal the political energies of small communities and social
movements that assert the heterogeneity of their identities and
rootedness to their land, often fighting the haughtiness and ignorance
of the establishment. With all its ambiguities and ambivalences,
Identities and Diversity remains the key theme of the Festival. It
covers the living experience of millions of people recorded by a set
of skilled and committed documentary and short filmmakers from around
the world.

The four-day Film festival is not only a treat of brilliant films but
an interface with filmmakers, activists, people's movement leaders,
academicians, youth and common people from as divergent streams of
life and activities. It includes talks, discussions, cultural
programmes and informal exchanges

ViBGYOR 2009 At A Glance
==================
Dates: February 4th-8th, 2009 Venue: Sangeet Nataka Akademi Campus, Thrissur
Focus 2009: FOOD sovereignty
Retrospective: Shabnam Virmani, Ali Kazmi
Region Focus: Pakistan
Village ViBGYOR: in 5 panchayaths around Thrissur town, December 08-January 09.
Campus ViBGYOR: in 5 colleges in and around Thrissur as curtain raiser
National Conference: `Farm, Food and Fuel" February 4th, 10am-4pm
Workshop: Documentary workshop for students, and members of film
societies social organizations
Film Packages

ViBGYOR Package

* Gender & Sexuality
* Indigenous People
* Dalit Reality
* Fundamentalism v/s Diversity
* Nation State
* Globalisation
* Region Focus : Pakistan

Global Concerns

* Human Rights
* Migration
* Health & HIV AIDS

You can walk in to the Festival Venue on February4th and buy your
Delegate Pass, 100/- for 5days (Rs.50/- for students)
Come to ViBGYOR...Celebrate identities and diversity!
Focus theme 2009: Food Sovereignty (Bakshya Swaraj)

Organisors
========
Mazhavilmela-ViBGYOR International Film Festival is organised by
ViBGYOR Film Collective, Chetana Media Institute (Thrissur), NOTTAM
Traveling Film Festival , Navachitra Film Society, moving republic,
CenSE, GAIA, and Visual Search
In Partnership with

The Other Media , INSAF, Vikas Adhyayan Kendra,National Adivasi
Alliance, SICHREM & Human Rights Network, Orissa Development Action
Forum (ODAF), Environmental Support Group(ESG), Visthar, Sangama,
Focus on Global south, NESA, Labour Files, People's Watch and Kabani


~ Regards
Anivar Aravind
For ViBGYOR Film Collective