Videography

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS SINCE 1990

* “Manibeli”, the police repression in the 1st village to be submerged by the controversial Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada. 1992. 43 minutes. Hindi.

* “Battle for Peace”, the Burmese students in exile, living in India. Aug 1992. 30 minutes. English.

* “Angan Manch”, {Forum in the courtyard}, women from the interior villages of North Bihar stepping out of their homes to take part in the literacy movement. 1992. 28 minutes. English & Hindi.

* “Devdasi”, on the age old religious practice of dedicating young girls to Goddess Yellamma and forcing them into prostitution; their journey from temples to brothels. 1993. 25 minutes. Hindi & English: a television program.

* “Joy of Learning”, is a spot on learning as part of living. 1993. 50 seconds. (Beta)

* “Dumka Ki Ek Kahani”, {A story of Dumka} the innovative rural initiatives in a Santhali Tribal district of South Bihar. 1994. 36 minutes. Hindi (U-matic)

“>* Unheard Voices: “The Rickshaw Pullers of Mussoorie”, the inhuman practice of hand pulled rickshaw on the foothills of himalaya’s. 1994. 28 minutes. Hindi & English

“>* “A Nation in Exile”, the Tibetan children in exile, living in foster-homes. 1994. 17 minutes. English

* “Kuch Theharte Kadam”, {Faltering Steps} a video on Women’s participation in Panchayati Raj in rural Madhya Pradesh, after the 74th Constitutional Amendment granting reservation for women in local self-government. 1995. 28 minutes. Hindi & English

* “God Made Us Thus”, is a video on the social constructs and values of the officer trainees of the Administrative Academy. 1996. 31 minutes. English

“>* “Should I be born into this land? part-1” “>Part-2 a video on the practice of untouchables and caste oppression. 1997, 30 minutes. English

Kaise Jeebo Re! (How Do I survive my friend!) A story of uprootment, of survival, of struggle and of human-dignity of a people living in the Narmada valley in Central India; who continue to struggle against large dam projects. May 1997,80 minutes. English & Hindi (Beta) Excellence Award at Earth Vision, Tokyo, Japan, Videolympiade Award 1998, Cape Town, South Africa, IDFA 1997, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Chingari Madison, USA 1997, Prakriti 1998 Hyderabad, India, YIDFF 1999 Yamagata, Japan.

“Right To Information” A film on Corruption in Rural Development Works and ways of combating it. Award: Silver Conch, Mumbai International Film Festival 2000, India. May 1999. 33 minutes. English/Hindi (Awards) Transparency International Best Documentary film. Prague 2002.

Our Money Our Accounts: Sundar Nagri

“Main Nai Manga” {We Do Not Ask!} a spot on the Right to Information as a basic need. Screened at Expo 2000, Hanover, Germany. March 1999 3.5 minutes. English (Digital)

“Vote Do…”

“Right to Know: a ballard”

“Social Audit: The Andra Story”:

“>Maya Nagri: Culture of Lies

This 18 minute video is a prelude to a proposed feature length documentary or a series of short films under the title Maya Nagri Culture of Lies: Located in the capital city of Delhi: a quest into the “heart of darkness”. 2007

Children from muslim n dalit backgrounds are forced to leave their homes in search of livelihoods n better opportunities. The Child Labor Act and a plethora of laws make them little criminals and pushes them into the heart of darkness with the help of the government and non-government agencies.

• Traditionally the craft’s people and artisans are rendered outside the productive force in the present day “economically liberalized” India.
• Delhi paving the way for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, Super Malls n the Metro…the need for cheap, unskilled labor goes hand in glove with the policies of liberalization… the rules, laws and so-called reforms have led to farmer suicides in the hinterland instead of land-reform… and unashamed control of the politically elite classes .
• It is no surprise that the large vested-interest of the powerful n the greedy is to watch silently these processes of criminalizing and a systemic turning of “citizens into non-citizens”.
• This video report is shot on Hi-8 handy-cam and is inspired by Habib Koite’s music, that brings back memories of Slavery n Spartacus the 1st Slave Rebel.

“>“KOSI KATHA: The Making of a Famine”  (english) The Story of a river and those who wish to tie her down. 33 million people lost their homes, lands n livelihood on 8th Aug 2008 when the barrage on the river Kosi in North India, borderin Nepal broke, with the river changing it’s course by 250 kilometers. It was declared an international Calamity.
This documentary was made with the view that such dishasters do occur. And if they do then those responsible are not left without being punished and held accountable. It is meant for policy and decision makers across the world. Though it takes the example of Kosi yet it is a story of the attitude human beings have taken towards the planet and which communities are considered dispensable in the scheme of things. (also available with Hindi Subtitles)

ONE NIGHT IN DELHI: THE MAKING OF A POLICE STATE

This documentary peeks into the psyche of the police force in the world’s largest democracy, keeping Olympics of 2008 as the backdrop. The growing lure for militarization and the apathy of national and international media towards the making of a police-state is dwell upon in this thirty-three minute narrative.
On the night of 16th of April 2008, the Olympic Torch, on it’s away to Beijing, arrived at New Delhi – India’s capital. For its safety, the Government of India deployed 20,000 police personnel. The Olympics of 2008 was watched by three billion people across the world while China continued to abuse and violate every United Nations norm against the people of Tibet. As expected the International Olympics Committee too turned a blind eye to this worldwide protest. Since then neither China, nor the United Nations has taken any steps to stop the abuse or the violation of every possible norm.
With the help of Olympia, a documentary film on the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Leni Riefenstahl, ‘One Night in Delhi: The Making of a Police State’ takes the viewer on a journey that blatantly beds sports to an old unwanted bedfellow – wars.

Copyright © 2008 Jan Madhyam (People's Media). All Rights Reserved.