Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Published: February 2024 (2 years ago) in issue Nº 415

Keywords: Auroville Film Festival, Collectivity, Auroville and its bioregion, Students, Films, International and National films, Multimedia Centre – Cinema Paradiso (MMC–CP), Town Hall, Matrimandir, Kshetra Kalari, Kino Kaberet and Film festivals

References: Marco Saroldi, Kirtan (Frederic Martin Duchamp) and Gautam

8th Auroville Film Festival

A deeper look — Written by 

 
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As befits chroniclers of our real lives, the organisers of the 8thAuroville Film Festival acknowledged in their address on the essence of the festival, the unique times Auroville is experiencing: ‘In the midst of the challenges we currently face, the Auroville Film Festival 2024 stands not as a conventional celebration but as a contemplative and reflective gathering. We come together not to celebrate in the traditional sense, but to engage in a collective introspection, exploring through cinema the deeper meanings of what Auroville stands for, especially in turbulent times’. Further they noted that ‘this gathering, which we call a 'festival' in the broadest sense, is an opportunity to pause and look within, to question and understand. It's a platform for us to explore what human unity truly means amid global unrest and violence. It’s a time to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals of Auroville and to actively engage in dialogues that challenge and inspire us’.

There were four different film categories: films by residents of Auroville and the bio-region; films about Auroville and the bio-region; films by students of Auroville and the bio-region; and international films that develop the theme of human unity. In total the festival featured 22 films by Aurovilians, a film about Auroville, a film by an Auroville student, and 15 films tackling themes related to human unity locally and from all over the world.

For film connoisseurs, regular highlights were the filmmaker panel discussions allowing listeners to gain a deeper understanding of the art and science as well as reality of film making. Kino Kaberet returned, allowing anyone the chance to write, shoot, edit, and upload a film within 48 hours.

A daily blog by two of the organisers, Daniel and Gautam, as well as daily photos by Marco Saroldi and Fred Duchamp allowed readers worldwide as well as local to see more of the festival as well as to receive more detailed film and panel discussion reviews.

Daniel started the first day’s blog with this entry, giving a taste of the wider festival aspect. 

It is January 22nd, and the blowing of a conch marks the start of the 8th Auroville Film Festival at the Town Hall campus. The audience is treated to a concert by the Saragam drummers, a martial arts show by Kshetra Kalari demonstrating the use of swords, daggers, a spear and other weapons, and a fire baton performance by Aurovilian Monica. Soon, dinner is served to the music of The Trio Jazztified, a band of Auroville musicians.

Every night at 6pm there was live music from Auroville bands and accompanying dinners before the 7.30 film starts. The films were split between two venues, inside Cinema Paradiso, and outside the Town Hall facing the lit Matrimandir on a makeshift screen. For a week it became a social hub for some of the community, film buffs, music fans and those taking the opportunity to watch high quality films.

It wasn’t just for locals, there was also the chance for an international audience to view the films too, (with rights restrictions on some international films), allowing the message of human unity and Auroville’s aspirations to reach a wider audience.

For more information: https://filmfestival.auroville.org/