Reels to Real Life’ presented by Alliance Francaise du Bengale and helmed by Sreyashi Ghosh showcased myriad stories through the medium of filmmaking and poetry. Ghosh, a US-based international author and artiste who has worked for several years in NGOs and UN agencies in India, UN headquarters in Geneva, and in organisations like WHO, ILO, IOM and UNESCO in the USA showcased her recent works on her concept of Words and Colours which combines both sensory and cognitive simulations. Her documentary film, Women’s Voices, made its Calcutta debut amidst a packed house at the Park Street address.
Women Voices is about expat women and their shared and lived experiences. The 10-minute film is about women from different walks of life and nationalities — a French psychologist or an Indonesian model or a Japanese homemaker. It is set in the backdrop of Indian indigenous art and a sex worker (also an HIV survivour) from Calcutta who speaks about their own experiences dealing with gender-based violence.
“I have been away from the city my entire adult life and I wanted the event to happen on a landmark day, preferably Women’s Day but then we went ahead with the plan as every day is significant in some way or the other. The film is relevant as it talks about gender-based violence and is not restricted to one culture but all, not just in India but across the world. I had taken bytes of different expats since 2009 when I came back from Switzerland when I was working for the UN and I was part of Expat Women there with a lot of prominent women. So I arranged it all and it’s the first time it is being screened in the city. It’s a very powerful film,” said Ghosh informing that there will be a sequel to the story as well.