Why a Third World Film Festival?
The effects of the global economy meltdown have sent a lot of developed countries scrambling to stay afloat. Everything they are experiencing now is nothing new to the third world where poverty, unemployment, poor education, disease, corruption, and crime have remained rampant. Suddenly, developed nations relate more to stories frequently associated with third world countries.
This did not go unnoticed by talented filmmakers who continuously raise the bar and maintain a keen sense of awareness to what is new, which may explain, in part, an increase in more socially-conscious, more culturally-driven, and thought provoking films, whether it is a drama or comedy.
The internet and different forms of social media had a hand in this too. It is now easier to meet people from different parts of the globe. Communication has exploded through the thick barriers that once divided us all.
Gone are the days of learning about other cultures through books and spending a ton of money traveling there. We are now exposed to them at a mere click on our computers. Sometimes, we even find ourselves shocked or pleasantly surprised that we share a lot of similarities to countries we once thought were nothing like us.
Oppressed and closed countries now find ways to destroy all prejudices and misinterpretations of their culture, people, and country. Developed countries too have shown a great interest in capitalizing on the wealth of new stories they are discovering.
Case in point, the Slumdog Millionaire. Suddenly everyone wanted to know more about India, its culture, its people –and they are now more aware of the social problems the country is facing.
Film is -in more ways than one- nothing short of extraordinary.
We go to the theatres to be entertained and to see something we have never seen before. It is a fantasy world in which we can escape to. It can be a tool to bring awareness to social issues. It becomes part of a mission to spread awareness of a worthy cause.
We find a common ground. We find a connection. We find a way to reach out to each other.
One of a filmmaker’s greatest joys is to discover a unique and beautiful angle to a story never told before.
Film is culture, it is a language. It can help shape a mind and in effect help shape the world.
