The first edition of YathaKatha International Film and Literature Festival is being held in Mumbai from 25 to 28 November. The festival is free for all and anyone can visit by registering at the venue.
The four-day festival talks about cinema and literature along with screenings of competition films, book launches and educational events like literary presentations, panel discussions and open forums and masterclasses.
Charu Sharma, festival founder, explained her vision in a Hindi speech as she opened the edition, saying, “This is not only a festival but a long-lasting journey which has just taken its baby step, and in the coming seasons, YathaKatha International Film & Literature Festival will grow like a huge tree.”
The opening ceremony took place on 25 November with Francis Paradis, consul general of Canada, as the chief guest and Professor Ujwala Chakradeo, vice-chancellor of Mumbai’s SNDT Women’s University, as the guest of honour. They lit the ceremonial lamp and there was a cultural presentation followed by a panel discussion that discussed oral traditions in literature, documentaries versus commercial films, film festivals and how to get funding and commission for a film or web project.
The opening day featured screenings of Nachiketa, Crossing The Line and Ambassador Of Socialism: Life & Times of Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya. The second day had panel discussions on being an author, writing culture, fiction versus non-fiction writing, and five top films based on literature. There were also screenings of films from around the world in various categories.
A special conversation with Bhawana Somaaya about her new book On Camera Off Camera is due to take place today with more panel sessions on women telling stories by women, creative writing, digital storytelling, and book to film adaptations.
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari is expected to attend the closing ceremony tomorrow as the chief guest. The event will feature distribution of awards, a book launch of Dr D: The Wrath of Tooth Monster, and special screenings and panel discussions.
The festival is also felicitating veteran actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar with a special honour for his contribution to cinema and author Sir Ruskin Bond for his contribution to the world of literature. They are expected to attend the ceremony.
The jury members for the inaugural edition are filmmakers Kamal Swaroop, Rahul Rawail, Brahmanand Singh and Hamid Benamra, painter Aabid Surti, film writer Harris W Freedman, prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, author and critic Piyush Roy, screenwriters Sanjay Masoom and Kamlesh Pandey, Amitabh Shrivastava, Suraj Prakash, actor-producer Federico Aletta, author Radhavallabh Tripathi, and producer Rachel Kadushin.