Travelling Uranium Film Festival Had Great Success In India
The Brazilian born International Uranium Film Festival had great success in India. Between January 4th and February 12th the Uranium Film Festival travelled with more than 40 selected films through India from North to South and from East to West. The festival was guest in 10 cities: New Delhi, Shillong, Ranchi, Manipal, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Thrissur and lastly in Mumbai.
All together the festival reached an audience of about 5000 spectators during the screenings. In addition the festival could attract many opinion & decision makers and journalists, producing articles and reports about the festival and its films in English, Hindi and in other local languages. Dozens of articles, interviews and reports were published in quality newspapers like "The Times of India", "The Hindu", "The Eastern Chronicle" and the "Deccan Herald" and in local TV and radio stations.
The festival was held in famous auditoriums and theatres like the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi and the Bal Gandharv Rang Madir Theatre in Pune. And beside of that special screenings happened in important Universities and Colleges like the Manipal University and the Institute of Communication and the Manipal Film Study Centre, the University of Hyderabad, the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communications, the Indira School of Communication (WAKAD) and Mandal´s College of Engineering (MMCOE) in Pune and the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai.
A very special event was the opening night of the Uranium Film Festival in Hyderabad. An open-air show at the Golden Threshold, Nampally, with famous Indian film actress Amala Akkineni as special guest speaker. We opened the festival with the end of the nuclear fuel chain, the nuclear waste question, "Into Eternity" by Michael Madsen. Amala Akkineni was impressed: "I was blown away with the first film", she said, "We city actors have every intention of supporting important things like this , but always seem to be in a squeeze for time. It was an honor to be there to voice my support and you can count on me anytime."
"The travelling uranium film festival in India was an extremely hard work without any break and we had only a few weeks for the planning after the festival in Berlin. But we achieved our goals. That is what counts", says festival general director Norbert G. Suchanek who is now back in Rio de Janeiro together with Co-director Marcia Gomes de Oliveira to organize the Third International Uranium Film Festival of Rio de Janeiro, that will be held in the Cinema of Rio de Janeiro's famous Museum of Modern Art (MAM), from 16th May to 26th May 2013. Parallel to the film festival is also planned an photo exhibition about uranium mining in India (Jaduguda) and an international round table about uranium mining.
The Uranium Film Festival organizers thanks the Government of India for the allowance to bring this important festival to India, and the Heinrich Boell Foundation Brasil, Rio de Janeiro's technical school Adolpho Bloch for Film, TV and Event, the FAETEC and the Fund the Global Green Funds and the Siemenpuu Foundation for supporting the festival. Further thanks go to the local partners, the Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival and Lokayat in Pune, the Suchitra Film Society in Bangalore, the Chennai Solidarity Group for Koodankulam Struggle, the ViBGYOR International Film Festival of Thrissur, the 7-Islands International Film Festival and the Bhavan´s Cultural Centre in Mumbai.
Media about Uranium Film Festival
If you read carefully all those dozens of articles and interviews published in India in January and February about the Travelling Uranium Film Festival and its films you will see the importance of the festival to create awareness and to open doors, that were closed for years. The published articles also provocated positive comments by the readers. Here are 3examples:
"These thought-provoking films is bound to elicit positive action for a greener world."
"This invigorating fest is food for the social change."
"Just back from this festival. It was one of the best way spend one's weekend. Movies were educative and thought provoking. Gogi is ticking uranium bomb right in our state. There is a massive need to generating a public opinion on this issue. Action is needed before its too late. Need to stop the uranium mining in this place."
In addition read here some excerpts of the articles:
"Recognizing the vital need of the hour - to embellish the world with green thoughts and practices, the International Uranium Festival, locally hosted by the Suchitra Film Society, is a dedication to films that address the underlying nuances, which define the nuclear chain... These films, seek to diagnose the global take towards the nuclear chain. As the note says: 'Some governments like in Brazil or India are investing in new nuclear power plants. Independent information is the base for independent decisions. The festival stimulates the discussion about the nuclear question and stimulates the production of new documentaries, movies and animated films about any nuclear or radioactive issue. In addition the Uranium Film Festival creates a neutral space to throw light on all nuclear issues societies and peoples have the right of choice if they want to follow the nuclear road or not'."
The Times of India, "International uranium film festival for film buffs", by Nirmala Govindarajan, Feb 3, 2013, http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-03/bangalore/367211…
"For most of us, problems with electricity involve a few hours of inconvenient power cuts, and a delay in completing the day’s tasks efficiently. But the consequences of its production are rarely explored. The Travelling International Uranium Film Festival India, held recently at the Suchitra Film Society, sought to address the flipside of energy production and consumption."
The Hindu, "People and Power", Bangalore, February 6, 2013, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/people-and-power/article4…
"Here is a chance for students to learn about uranium mining and harmful effects of nuclear bombs. For the first time in the state, Manipal Institute of Communication will organize a two-day International Uranium Film Festival at the seminar hall in Manipal Institute of Technology from Saturday. At the festival, more than a dozen foreign documentary movies on nuclear power, uranium mining and nuclear wastes will be screened. The entry is free for the public... Varadesh Hiregange, director of MIC said the motto of organizing the fest was to familiarize students about harmful effects of uranium mining and nuclear bombs to the environment. `Because there is need to show more concern for environment and development,´ he added."
The Times of India, Travelling International Uranium Film Festival comes to Manipal, Jan 18, 2013, http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-18/mangalore/364144…
"For more than six decades, there have been several short films and documentaries on nuclear issues that could not be screened due to political pressure. The International Uranium Film Festival, which is currently on in the city, has provided a platform to screen these films to the public. Shri Prakash and Norbert Suchanek, who were behind the Uranium Film Festival, spoke to City Express about their ideas and work."
New Indian Express, "Speaking for the deprived through Uranium Film Festival" by Vinoth Kumar, CHENNAI, 07th February 2013, http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article1452621.ece
"According to Shri Prakash, most of the time, displacements are a result of the government having to build more tailing dams for uranium mining, resulting in destruction of arable lands. Testimonies of village residents in the film reveal that they are not educated on the safety measures to be followed when handling radioactive material of any kind. Barrels containing radioactive material are loaded onto vehicles with bare hands... The women of the village pay a heavy price. Unable to bear children as a result of their exposure to radioactive material, they are ostracized by their own families."
The Hindu, "People and Power", Bangalore, February 6, 2013, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/people-and-power/article4…
"27 movies were screened on burning issues like uranium mining, nuclear power plants, atomic bombs, nuclear waste, radioactive risks and nuclear medicine.
Notable Ranchi based and international directors along with social activist Dayamani Barla were present during closing ceremony. Ranchi-based filmmaker Sriprakash’s ‘Buddha Weeps in Jadugoda and ‘Jadugoda: The Black Magic’ drew serious audience. Originator of the festival, Norbert G. Suchanek and Marcia Gomes de Oliveira´s, were overwhelmed with the response... The screening of films was followed by a panel discussion joined by eminent personalities from different fields. Dr. Ramesh Sharan, economist and professor at the Ranchi University, filmmaker Meghnath, social activist Dayamani Barla, Shishir Soren an activist from East Singhbhum, and Dumka Murmu secretary of JOAR (Jharkhandi Organization Against Radiation) discussed different aspects of issues and views. Dumka Murmu, President of JOAR said, “The plight of people suffering from Uranium Mining and its radiation has always remained unnoticed...none seems to be concerned.” Talking about the contemporary world and usage of uranium Dayamani Barla quipped that the development should not be at the cost of the people. Meghnath stressed on the need to film makers to assume an active role to raise issues that affect common people."
Daily Pioneer, "Uranium film festival concludes creating nuclear awareness", Friday, 18 January 2013, by Shiwani Sharma, Ranchi, http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/ranchi/122883-uranium-film-f…
"Manipal: The repercussions of nuclear power and its harmful radiations cannot be felt, seen or heard and so the best way to communicate it is through films. In a bid to engage students in a debate on the issue of nuclear energy, the Travelling International Uranium Film Festival India 2013 is hosted by Manipal University on January 19-20 and is dedicated to screening independent documentaries and movies about nuclear waste and nuclear power... In his inaugural address Norbert Suchanek said that “This is such an important issue and there have been many films made in the UK, USA and Europe but there are not many films from the global South like India and Brazil. I hope this festival stimulates production of more such films and we see more films made from places like Male, Namibia and Argentina”, he said “I don’t want to see just documentaries but feature films with celebrities as actors and soap operas on such an important issue”, he added. Marcia Gomes, co-founder of the festival hopes to see increased cooperation between India and Brazil in this regard and come up with more films."
The MANGALOREAN, "Manipal University Hosts International Uranium Film Festival India 2013", By Michael Rodrigues, Team Mangalorean, 19 Jan, 2013,
http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=372182
"Eye-opening films - Congenital deformities in newborns, genetic mutation, infertility, high rate of early mortality, cancer and other diseases are tell-tale signs of nuclear contamination.... Recognizing the need of the hour, each film documents the deadly effect of nuclear energy and the painful existence of the people living in the vicinity.... The horrors of nuclear energy are still not known to people. There is an urgent need to end this ‘secrecy’, according to festival director Norbert G. Suchanek. India, like other nations of the world, is jumping on to the nuclear bandwagon and dreams of making nuclear power a significant source of energy, but are we ready?"
The Hindu Business Line, "Eye-opening films", by Ankita Chaudhuri, February, 2013,
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/on-campus/eyeopening-films/article4…
"A step towards creating awareness - Villagers are evicted from their lands, made to work as miners and exposed to a heavy dose of radiation. Bringing this deplorable condition of Jadugoda into light, the documentary Toxic Neglect by Ranchi-based filmmaker Shri Prakash was an eye-opener for many who became a part of the recently-concluded International Travelling Uranium Film Festival, held at Siri Fort, New Delhi... Bringing such crucial issues related to nuclear energy and radioactivity into light from all across the globe, the three-day festival kick started with the screening of Atomic Bombs on the Planet Earth by director Peter Greenaway. The 14-minute documentary is on atomic bombs exploded on Earth. Surprisingly, from 1945 to 1989, 2,201 atomic bombs have been dropped."
The Deccan Herald, January, 2013, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/303609/a-step-towards-creating-awar…
"The Uranium Film Festival, which has its roots in Brazil, has come to Ranchi with several documentaries and short films. The three-day festival, which kicked off at Central University, Brambe, on Tuesday, travelled to the RIMS campus on Wednesday. “It was a great day for the film festival. A good number of people, apart from students of RIMS, came and watched the films that brought out the truth about nuclear power,” said Sriprakash, India co-ordinator of the film fest."
The Telegraph of India, "Reel alert on hazards of uranium mining", Ranchi, January, 2013, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130117/jsp/jharkhand/story_16449051.jsp
"The International Travelling Uranium Film Festival arrived to the final destination of the Ranchi Chapter- ILCC (International Library and Cultural Centre) on the third and final day of the three day event... The speakers were- Dr. Ramesh Sharan, eminent economist in today’s time and professor of Economics in Ranchi University, Mr. Meghnath, famous film maker from Jharkhand, Ms. Dayamani Barla, social activist and tribal journalist, Mr. Shishir Soren, an activist from Chapri village, East Singhbhum, and lastly Mr. Dumka Murmu , secretary of JOAR (Jharkhandi Organization Against Radiation)... In his speech Dr. Sharan revealed the reality pertaining to the uranium mining in India. He said that if anybody protests against uranium extraction they are labeled anti-development and anti-national. Mr. Meghnath stressed on the matter that cinema is not only meant for entertainment and the film makers should become audacious and responsible to present issues that affects the people at large. He also raised the question why we need Uranium for generating electricity and other energy. Why we can’t rely on alternative options like Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Gobar Gas and Micro Hydel Energy. He criticized the government who says they are against wars but wants to use uranium peacefully asking at the cost of people how can one utilize uranium in a peaceful manner? However the speaker who stole the show was Mr. Dumka Murmu, President of JOAR who honestly spoke about the plight and atrocities of his people suffering since ages from the terror of Uranium Mining and its radiation. He said that no one listens to and looks at the sufferings and grief of poor however the whole country shakes when a girl from Delhi gets raped by few insane beings."
SWATI VERMA, CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF JHARKHAND, "Ranchi's Chapter concludes at ILCC", Thursday, 17 January 2013, http://swaticuj8.blogspot.com.br/
"The main objective of this festival is to create awareness amongst the citizens about the risks associated with the atomic bomb and atomic energy, not just for the present generation but for future generations too. Growing worldwide environment concerns led filmmakers Norbert Suchanek and Marcia Gomes to take the initiative to create the First International Uranium Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro in 2010, one year before Fukushima happened. They felt that films, movies and documentaries are a very important medium to create awareness and empower the people. The festival also gives ‘nuclear’ filmmakers an international audience and helps them to make an impact on global public opinion. The best and most important productions receive the festival award “Yellow Oscar”."
"The International Uranium Film Festival travels to India", January 24, 2013, http://www.mformovie.in/the-international-uranium-film-festival-travels…
See also the festival website with photos and clippings of the travelling uranium film festival in India.
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/index.php/en/press-room/clipping
http://www.uraniumfilmfestival.org/index.php/pt/mostras-itinerantes/ind…
http://www.uraniofestival.org/index.php/pt/imprensa/clippings
The International Uranium Film Festival that is dedicated to films about the nuclear power and uranium mining travelled to India for the first time. The main objective of this festival is to create awareness amongst the citizens about the risks associated with the atomic bomb and nuclear energy, not just for the present generation but for future generations too. The Uranium Film Festival stands unique as it is the only festival in the world which is dedicated to that vitally important global issue and includes both documentary and fiction films. The films focus on various issues like Uranium mining, nuclear power plants, atomic bombs, nuclear waste, radioactive risks, nuclear medicine, Hiroshima, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima and many more.
Growing worldwide environment concerns led the filmmakers Norbert G. Suchanek and Marcia Gomes de Oliveira to take the initiative to create the First International Uranium Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro in 2010, one year before Fukushima happened. They felt that films, movies and documentaries are a very important medium to create awareness and empower the people. The festival also gives ‘nuclear’ filmmakers an international audience and helps them to make an impact on global public opinion. The best and most important productions receive the festival award “Yellow Oscar”.
