THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Campuses have a remarkable role in nurturing love for good films among the youth. Future film-makers and film lovers often thrive in the film discussions and film screenings that are common on campuses. Some colleges have even brought out notable short films and documentaries through the joint efforts of students and teachers.
Going an extra mile, the Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) students of the SAFI Institute of Advanced Study(SIAS), Vazhayoor, Kozhikode, are bringing out a full-length feature film. The film, the shooting of which has already started, will be an anthology of 10 short films by 10 different directors on the common theme, xenophobia.
Each of these short films deals with the stigma and prejudices society has towards certain identities and social or physical conditions of its own members. Through the films, these student directors try to address the fear and stigma towards Dalits, transgenders, minorities, HIV patients, physically challenged persons and the like.
M Noushad, head of the Department of MCJ, says the theme was chosen as it is the most relevant one in the present context. “In our society, everyone doubts each other. We have lost the ability to trust our fellow human beings. Our identity consciousness has also become much volatile. There is hatred everywhere. In this context, we think addressing xenophobia has great relevance,” he says.
Prabhullas, Zakariya, Prajitha, Jawad Hussain, Anees Chelari, Navas Machingal, Shobitha, Nisha K, Muhasin and Sandeep are the directors of the short films in the anthology. Most of them are 2012-2014 batch students of the Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) course and others, former students of the department who came forward to associate with the project out of sheer passion for films.
“Initially, we had planned it as a project film with seven short films. But in later discussions, we developed the idea of a full-length feature film. Now the scope of the film has expanded and so is the risk. We are facing several challenges on our way to complete our dream project,” says Prabhullas, coordinator of the film project. They are planning to launch the film by December.
Nisha K, one of the directors, is excited about her first experience in film-making. “As a person trying to learn more about films, being part of this venture is an exciting experience for me. The joy of transforming the visuals in our minds to the screen is just beyond words.”
The project is being funded by the management of SAFI Institute of Advanced Study and the student film-makers have also made their individual contributions. Besides, two sponsors have come forward to support this venture - Shaji Panakkadan and Mujeeb Rahman - who will be funding the short films of Muhasin and Shobitha, respectively.
Actor Sasi Kalinga and transgender activist Kalki Subramaniam are associating with this project. To reduce the cost of production, the students have made a mini-jib (a boom device or a pole with a camera on one end, and a counterweight and camera controls on the other) and a camera slider all by themselves and are using these for shooting.
Now they are making a steady cam on their own.
The MCJ Department at SAFI is dedicated to nurturing love for films among students. In the past four years, the students of the department have produced 20 short films, two public service ads and one documentary. These films have won many awards in various film festivals and have been screened at numerous places. The best set designer award won by Sandeep P for the film ‘Tempted’ at the Kerala State Children’s Educational Film Festival 2012, the best woman director award won by Jisha A S for the film ‘Letter Box’ at the Bharathan Memorial Film Festival 2013 and the awards for the best short film and screenplay won by Prasad O P for his short film ‘In Autumn’ at the inter-campus cinema convention held at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 2011 are a few among them.
Last year, the department produced five short films, two public service ads and one music video. Six of these productions were done by girl students, among which the public service advertisement directed by Fathima Shiyana titled ‘Save Energy’ won the best ad film award in the 6th CONTACT short film festival held in Thiruvananthapuram. 'Maskara,' directed by Prajitha Rajendran, got selected to Asianet’s short film reality show, ‘First Cut.’ The music video ‘Sreeja,’ directed by A Shahida, was selected as the best music video at the recently held second Youth Spring Film Festival, Kozhikode.