For the third year running, Oxfam India and JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star 2018 co-hosted the 'Women in Film' Brunch to celebrate gender-equal cinema and women’s movement in the film industry to fight harassment at workplace.
The Brunch was attended by leading male and female actors, directors, screenwriters and industry professionals including actors Parvathy, Yami Gautam, Gulshan Devaiah, Divya Dutta, Kiara Advani, Mouni Roy, Tanishtha Chatterjee, Shruti Seth, Mini Mathur, screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi, celebrity stylist Sapna Bhavnani, Directors Zoya Akhtar, Anjali Menon, Omung Kumar and Rima Das among others.
Oxfam India CEO Amitabh Behar said, “Oxfam MAMI 'Women in Film' Brunch is not only a space to celebrate cinema that promotes gender equality but also to honour brave women fighting sexism and violence in everyday life. Women in the film industry are vociferously demanding equality in the workplace and this is happening at a time when young girls across India are challenging the age-old accepted norms of patriarchy. This is the moment when people must listen to these women and girls. We know that patriarchy will not give up without a battle but we collectively must celebrate these voices against sexism and violence through art, cinema and activism.”
This year, Oxfam India invited a young gender-champion Naaz Parveen from Patna, Bihar as a special guest. Naaz is a young muslim girl who is not only a community leader but also the goalkeeper of an all girl’s football team, the Ambedkar Football Club. Naaz fought patriarchy, child marriage in her community and created awareness along with local NGO Gaurav Gramin Mahila Vikas Manch (GGMVM) about sexual reproductive rights in her community.
Sharing her inspiring story at the Brunch, Naaz said, “It is an honour to be part of such an important event. I am happy to share my story with accomplished men and women who believe in supporting women’s rights. Football is liberating and has given me the freedom to be who I am. I am glad that I could inspire other girls in my community to follow their dreams and learn football. The sport brought us together. As a team, we stood against child marriage and saved many girls from being married at a young age.”
The 'Women in Film' brunch is an annual event held during the Mumbai Film Festival as part of Oxfam India's association with MAMI. Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award is a part of this association.
Smriti Kiran, Creative Director, MAMI said “This is a special year for gender equality in India. We are having a moment which we need to make sure becomes a sweeping movement. I am so happy that we partnered with Oxfam India for this award that aims to inculcate mindfulness, ignite consciousness, create awareness about skewed and unfair gender narratives that exist.”
This year, eight films have been shortlisted for the Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award. The films that have been shortlisted this year are ‘Imago’, ‘Hamid’, ‘Soni’, ‘Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil’, ‘Light InThe Room’, ‘Nathicharami’, ‘Sivaranjani and Two Other Women’ and ‘Jonaki’.
The winner of the Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award 2018 for this year will be announced on November 1st, 2018 on the closing night of the festival.
