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Budding with creativity
"WE WILL surely make our mark in the next International Children's Film Festival to be held in Hyderabad in 2005", R.S. Rajan of Tamil Nadu Children's Film Society (TNCFS), run by Yadarthaa, a Madurai-based film society, exudes much confidence.
"Just wait and watch, we will have at least one entry to the festival and it will be a treat for the audience,'' he says brimming with optimism.
The TNCFS, formed two years ago in Yadarthaa's silver jubilee year, was started with a mission to kindle the creative instinct in children and help them look into the finer aspects of film and film-making. Today it has reached a stage where it can boast of home productions with the target group.
The novel concept got a kickstart with the screening of a Chinese film, `Magic Lantern'. That was in March 2002 when the Federation of Film Societies of India secretary, V.T. Subramanian, inaugurated the show, making it a memorable occasion, at the Gandhi Museum.
"We did not go for much publicity. Yet, the response to the first programme was overwhelming," recalls Mr. Rajan.
Having tasted instant success, Yadarthaa decided to conduct similar shows and workshops and followed it up immediately with another one on film appreciation where the young participants were educated on the "type of films ought to be viewed and how to approach them.''
In June last, as part of its promised activities, Yadarthaa screened `Dubashi' by Hariharan and `Hello' by Santosh Sivan. The idea was to give the public - both young and adults - what children's films should be about.
In Mr.Rajan's opinion, "not many films are made exclusively for children''. "Even the animation films shown on various channels revolve around violence and can easily corrupt the tender minds,'' he says. While keeping the impressionable minds of the new generation in perspective, Yadarthaa is cautious about the themes selected and also plans to go in majorly for screening of animated films.
The TNCFS has also conducted workshops for the kids covering traditional games, painting skills and film appreciation. The traditional games have focussed on `Pandi' and Pallankuzhi, to name a few. For getting into the mood and honing their painting skills, the children were asked to speak out their minds freely on paper and be liberal with their colours and forms.
The different colouring patterns used by these children took the organisers by surprise. To further inspire the children's creative instincts, they were given comic and cartoon books in order to assess their level of interest. Not surprising that cartoons were an instant and sure draw among the children.
For the session on film appreciation, a film named `Girl Child' was screened. The young viewers reactions yet again had the element of surprise. Majority of the children said that many issues as depicted in the film were "new to them''.
Describing these workshops as Yadarthaa's "biggest and most successful programme'', Mr.Rajan says the organisation is now flooded with requests from many schools not only in the city but neighbouring districts as well for participating in such workshops. "Initially the response to TNCFS work sessions was lukewarm. But now after some of our successful shows, interest is definitely on the rise,'' he says with much pride.
Yadarthaa had even planned a mini film festival for children on November 14 at the Gandhi Museum. But due to some "unforeseen reasons" it had to be cancelled. But not to let the thought and effort behind the planning go waste, Yadarthaa gave the films to some schools who evinced interest in screening them on their premises for the benefit of their students.
Mr.Rajan promises that Yadarthaa has been and will always remain a "service-oriented organisation''. "We do not entertain membership. The aim is to bring out the latent talents and push to the fore the creativity of our young minds", he says.
Sporting a welcome hand for all, Mr.Rajan says anybody can utilise the services at Yadarthaa. "We do not collect money for any of our programmes. Only for the 16mm projector, we collect a paltry sum, which actually goes to the projector operator," he justifies.
For a self-introspection of their activities, the TNCFS plans to hold a mega workshop next summer. The idea is to provide the children with a camera and send them on a shoot. "Whatever they capture on their lens, we will help them further to give shape to their imagination and make a film,'' Mr.Rajan says. "I am confident that the workshop will produce budding directors who will make a mark at all levels", is his parting shot.
M.R.ARAVINDAN
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