Jeevika
South Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival

BRIEF ON JEEVIKA                 SCREENING SCHEDULE                 SYNOPSIS

Brief on Jeevika

About JeevikaThe Centre for Civil Society organizes Jeevika: South Asia Livelihood Documentary Competition. It is the first competition in South Asia focusing on the issue of livelihood.

People earn their livelihood in myriad ways: catch fish; collect medicinal leaves and fuelwood in forests; work on the farm or in the factory; pull a cycle-rickshaw, sell water, vegetables, or food on the roadside; rent land, money, or property; run an enterprise of a repair shop or road construction. At the root of this is the economic freedom to produce and sell a product or a service. Take away this freedom and the impact is as devastating as the loss of the right to vote or freedom of expression.

Jeevika is a search for documentaries that focus on legal and regulatory restrictions, bureaucratic process of approvals and licenses with attendant extortion and harassment as well as social and cultural norms and religious practices that prevent or constrain people from earning an honest living in the vocation of their choice. These procedures and practices coupled with the lack of rule of law, absence of transparency and accountability in governance, and poor enforcement of individual rights including property rights take away the freedom to earn a living.

"The Jeevika competition is helping Indian filmmakers explain how ordinary people are kept from leading extraordinary lives. For this undertaking, the Delhi-based organization deserves an Oscar "-
Alejandro Chafuen, President, Atlas Foundation USA published in Washington Examiner

In 2003 we received 38 entries. In 2004, 69 entries came from students and professional documentary filmmakers from all over India., As against 60 entries last year, this year saw over 85 entries from students and professional film makers from various countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Serbia. 34 of these entries are student productions. The Screening Committee short-listed 10 films each in both the student and general category. The 20 films will now be evaluated by the Jury on 18th December 2005 for the selection of the top three winners and the best student film.

The Evaluation

The evaluation is done in two stages. In the first stage, the Screening Committee comprising five members including three alumni from premier film institutes shortlists entries. In the second stage, the Jury consisting of professionals from the fields of development, research, media, duration and film gives the final judgment and select winners from the shortlisted ones.

The Results of Jeevika 2003

Screening Schedule

January 20-22: Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, Delhi

Friday: January 20,2006
10:00 : Healers for all Resons (28 minutes) Vijay S Jodha
11:00 : Gadia Lohar: A Life & Livelihood in Question? (24 minutes) Meenakshi Vinay Rai
12:00 : Mela:The Musical (21 minutes) Rakesh Bhajram Semwal
02:30 : Inaugual Ceremony
04:15 : Pretty Dyana (Special Jury Mention, 45 minutes) Boris Mitic
05:30 : Lakshmi and Vishwakarma (3 minutes) Vasudha Joshi

Saturday: January 21,2006
10:00 : Flight of Distress (32 minutes) Somdev Chatterjee
11:00 : Sea City (30 min) Lalitha Krishna
12:00 : Kaagda Peeth "The Crow's Back" (27 minutes) Ipsit Patel
02:00 : One Show Less (First Prize Winner, 19 min) Nayantara C Kotian
03:00 : In Search of a Job (13 minutes) Mrinal Talukdar
03:45 : Dawn to Dusk, & further... A story of Horse-cart Pullers (13 minutes) Neal Kartik & Anshul A Ojha
04:30 : Fight for Survival (Second Prize Winner, 20 minutes) Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange
05:30 : Treacling Down (Third Prize Winner, 14 min) Upali Gamlath

Sunday: January 22,2006
10:00 : Life on Four Wheels (37 minutes) Anshuman Jha
11:00 : Refugees of War (30 minutes)
12:00 : Aamchi Kasauti (Best Student Film, 12 min) Rivu Laha
12:45 : The Real Pillars (20 minutes) Charmi Soni, Chetan Pagi, Pritesh Luhar, Radhika Raol, Vishal Patadiya
02:00 : Virus in the Antidote (42 minutes) Sukriti Saha
03:15 : A Page from the Red Data Book (15 minutes) Saurav Dey
4:00 : Of Hawks and Hawkers (4 minutes) Shankar S 04:30 : Manhole Workers' Union (20 minutes) Rappai Poothokaren

Sunday: January 22,2006
6:30 : Award Ceremony
7:30 : Screening of the Best Film:One Show Less & Best Student Film: Aamchi Kasauti



Monday: January 23,2006

Ramjas College, Seminar Hall (12.30-4.30 pm)
12.30 : Introduction of Jeevika
12.45 : One Show Less by Nayantara.C.Kotian (20 minutes)
2.00 : Amachi Kasauti by Rrivu Laha (12 minutes)
2.45 : Fight for Survival by Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange (20 minutes)
3.15 : Pretty Dyana by Boris Mitic (45 minutes)

Delhi School of Economics, Vivekananda Hall (3-6 pm)
3.00 : Introduction of Jeevika
3.30 : Amachi Kasauti by Rrivu Laha (12 minutes)
4.10 : Treacling down by Upali Gamlath (14 minutes)
4.40 : Fight for Survival by Dakxin Nandlal-Bajarange (20 minutes)
5.10 : One Show Less by Nayantara.C.Kotian (20 minutes)


Tuesday: January 24,2006

Madhubala Institute of Communications & Electronic Media, Nizamuddin East, Lecture Hall (10 - 4 pm)
10.00 : Introduction of Jeevika
10.30 : Manhole Workers Union by Rappai Poothokaren (20 minutes)
11.10 : Pretty Dyana by Boris Mitic (45 minutes)
12.15 : In Search of the Job by Mrinal Talukdar (14 minutes)
12.50 : Gadia Lohar: A Life & Livelihood in Question by Meenakshi Vinay Rai (24 minutes)
1.35 : Dawn to Dusk, and further.... a story of horse-cart pullers by Anshul A Ojha & Neal Kartik (13 minutes)
2.05 : Treacling Down by Upali Gamlath (14 minutes)
2.40 : Aamchi Kasauti by Rivu Laha (12 minutes)
3.15 : One Show Less by Nayantara C Kotian (19 minutes)
3.45 : Mela-The musical by Rakesh Bhatram Semwa (22 minutes)

Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Yamuna Vihar, Media Lab (12-3 pm)
12.00 : Introduction of Jeevika
12.30 : A page from the Red Data Book by Saurav Dey (15 minutes)
12.55 : Refugee of War by MW Geethani Senavirathna (30 minutes)
1.35 : Fight For Survival by Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange (20 minutes)
2.05 : In Search of Job by Mrinal Talukdar (14 minutes)
2.35 : Pretty Dyana by Boris Mitic (45 minutes)

Delhi Law Faculty, Auditorium (3-6 pm)
3.00 : Introduction of Jeevika
3.30 : In Search of Job by Mrinal Talukdar (14 minutes)
4.00 : Aamchi Kasauti by Rirvu Laha (12 minutes)
4.30 : Treacling Down by Upali Gamlath (14 minutes)
5.00 : Fight For Survival by Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange (20 minutes)
5.30 : One Show Less by Nayantara.C.Kotian (19 minutes)

Miranda College, Seminar Hall (12:30-2)
12.30 : Introduction of Jeevika
12.45 : Gadia Lohar: A Life & Livelihood in Question by Meenakshi Vinay Rai (24 minutes)
1.30 : One Show Less by Nayantara.C.Kotian (19 minutes)


Wednesday: January 25,2006

National Institute of Advertisement, Sainik Farms (11-3 pm)
11.00 : Introduction of Jeevika
11.15 : Pretty Dyana by Boris Mitic (45 minutes)
12.10 : In search of the Job by Mrinal Talukdar (14 minutes)
12.34 : Manhole Workers Union by Rappai Poothokaren (20 minutes)
1.10 : Flight of Distress by Somdev Chatterjee (32 minutes)
2.00 : A Page from the Red Data Book by Saurav Dey (15 minutes)
2.30 : Fight For Survival by Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange (20 minutes)

Synopsis of Films

GENERAL CATEGORY

1. Pretty Dyana (SPECIAL JURY MENTION)

(Pretty Dyana/ Serbia /DV/45 minutes/2003/Dir: Boris Mitic/Serbia)
An intimate look at gypsy refugees in a Belgrade suburb who make a living by transforming Citroen's classic 2cv and Dyana cars into Mad-Max-like recycling vehicles, which they use to collect cardboard, bottles and scrap metal. These modern horses are much more efficient than the cart- pushing competition, but even more important - they also mean freedom, hope and style for their crafty owners. Even the car batteries are used as power generators in order to get some light, watch TV and recharge mobiles! Almost an alchemist's dream come true! But the police doesn't always find these strange vehicles funny.....

2. In Search of a Job

(In Search of a Job/ English /Beta/ 14 minutes/2005/Dir: Mrinal Talukdar/ India)
Assam has long tradition of domestic elephant used for logging business for centuries. Unlike other parts of india, even middle class people used to keep domestic elephants like their family members. There are still 1200 of them. The 1997 Supreme Court order of banning all sorts of felling of trees has changed the whole scenario. Overnight these elephants and their mahouts have become jobless. All others involved in the timber business have changed their livelihood, but not the elephant and mahouts. Desperate attempt to sell them or transfer to Kerala and Rajasthan where there is a demand of elephants for tourism and religious purpose, it is not happening because of a law that does not allow transfer sale of any animals like elephants. So these 1200 elephants are in search of job for an honest livelihood.

3. Gadia Lohar: A Life & Livelihood in Question

(Gadia Lohar: a Life and Livelihood in Question?/Hindi/Mini DV/ 24 minutes/ 2005/Dir: Meenakshi Vinay Rai / India)
This film is an effort to understand the reasons behind the failures of government initiatives in providing better life and livelihood to Gadia lohars, a nomadic community of Rajasthan. Examining the deeper layers of the issue in context of psycho - social perspectives, the film provokes a thought and aims to create a space for this community in mainstream. This film clearly brings out that understanding culture context is vital before formulating policies to improve life and livelihood of any segment

4. Lakshmi and Vishwakarma

(Lakshmi and Vishwakarma / Oriya/ 3 minutes/ 2005/ Dir: Vasudha Joshi / India)
Lakshmi & Vishwakarma explores an old folk tale about the goddess of wealth and artisans struggling for survival.

5. Of Hawks and Hawkers

(Of Hawks and Hawkers/English /DVD/3 minutes/1996/Dir:Shankar.S/ India)
For over two decades, the pavements of Calcutta were the lifeline for hawkers. Most of them operated through structures, though technically temporary, de facto permanent. Then towards the end of 1996 came 'Operation Sunshine'. All structures were bulldozed to clean up the city. And there was more sunshine....... Sunshine for whom?
Post Operation Sunshine the hawkers used to come and go but were always on their toes. There were only two colours dominating the locale, brown and grey. In the year 2005 the hawkers appear to have come up with new colour and dimension which goes to show that "Sunshine or no Sunshine, survive we must."

6. Fight for Survival (SECOND PRIZE)

(Fight for Survival/Gujarati-Hindi/MiniDV/20minutes/2004/Dir: Dakxin Nandlal Bajarange/India)
In Gujarat, there are approximately 3 lakh members of the Madari community. They live a nomadic life and so are scattered throughout the state while retaining strong ties of tradition and culture. The Madaris believe in Lord Shiva and follow their own Panchayat system. The Panchayat has its own constitution and there are specific rules and provision about catching, keeping, performing with and releasing snakes in jungle. For their survival the Madaris depend on their traditional business of snake exhibition and performance in villages and cities, fairs and haats. Madaris treat the snakes as their children. They know how to keep each snake with them, how to take care of it and when to release it in jungle. For example, cobras were kept for 3 months and then released with respect in the jungle. This is how the Madaris have lived for thousands of years.
Now, the Animal Cruelty Act and other animal acts have made it difficult for the Madaris to keep snakes with them for public performance. Due to this law, the entire Madari community is facing a problem of survival. Animal rights activists and Animal Help Foundation, along with police and forest department, raid Madari ghettoes or where Madaris are performing shows. So now there is a fight for survival between community tradition, the law and NGO services. Many people in this community are becoming unemployed and have started begging dressed up as Sadhus. Even in this, they are often arrested by the police as child-kidnappers.
7. Treacling Down (THIRD PRIZE)

(Treacling Down/Sinhalese/14 minutes/2005/Dir: Upali Gamlath/Sri Lanka)
The remote village "Meemure" surrounded by a range of mountains is a place famous for the production of jaggery. This village is rural setting still retains old cultural habits mainly because of the poor facilities there. Meemure in certain respects is self sufficient, but its excess production is sold after, a tiresome journey from the village. Highly commercialized town bags their cherished products for a mere pittance and sold in luxury supermarkets at exorbitant prices.
This production attempts to generate a total feeling on the Meemure villager using only a combination of the rhythm of the nature and the economic shape and the cultural angle and expression interwoven with nature. The film shows the villagers tapping the "Kithul tree" to make jaggery and the bees, wasps and butterflies collecting nectar from flowers. The bee does a lot of works, an outsider reaps the benefit. The bee gets no honey. The bee and the Kithul taper suffer the same late.

8. Manhole Workers Union

(Manhole Workers' Union/Gujarati-Hindi-English/VCD/20 minutes/2005/Dir: Rappai Poothokaren / India)
They are called manhole workers; they work below the manhole, invisible. With the haphazard ways our gutter system has built, Ahmedabad may have to be evacuated if the manhole stopped work! Yet they get a very raw deal.
Most of them belong to the so - called 'outcastes'. Indian constitution not with standing, they are still very much ill-treated and discriminated against. Their working conditions are terrible. Sometime they have to drive into the filthy gutters, with no protective gear. They are exposed to all kinds of diseases; the threat of death from poisonous gas is ever present.
KSSM (Kamdar Swasthya Surakhsa Mandal) have helped the manhole workers of Ahmedabad to form the manhole Kamdar union, with the financial support of Indo-global Social Service Society. The elected zonal and central representatives of the union now negotiate with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporations. Although they have little education, they have learnt to dialogue and bargain with the powers at the executive and political level. Systematic training and education are important components of the union's work. Contact with the media, exhibitions, demonstrations, educates the public about the importance of their works, and the treatment they receive. Above all the union has enhanced their self - respect and self - confidence. They have a long way to go, but the journey has begun.

9. Healers For All Reasons

(Healers for all Reasons/English/DVD/28 minutes/2005/ Dir: Vijay S Jodha / India)
Healers for all reasons is a fascinating portrait of Rehmat Khan Solanki and Karimbhai Sumra - two village healers of Gujarat , whose lives and works embody respect for biodiversity, Gandhian selfless service and promotion of communal harmony at the grassroots. Rehmat Khan Solanki of Chur village (northern Gujarat) uses traditional and eco-friendly methods to cure animals and is called "Gopal bapa" by Hindu villagers for being a benefactor of cattle like Hindu deity Lord Krishna. Karimbhai Sumra of Virampur village (southern Gujarat) uses herbs to treat humans, animals and even plants (herbal pesticides). He has also gone to the extent of creating a forest of 12,000 plant varieties that have great medicinal value. Men of modest means, these healers serve tribal forest dwellers, villagers and others who have little access to modern medical facilities. Yet these healers demand no fee for their services and sustain themselves by doing other jobs on the side. Mainstream scientists and organisations have recognized their work.
This films is as much their personal story as the larger story of knowledge- rich but economically poor people all over the world who have been serving society for generations but are now increasingly being marginalized by a corporate and market driven system that exploits the same knowledge and the forests that sustains these people, while giving back little in return.

9. Healers For All Reasons

(Healers for all Reasons/English/DVD/28 minutes/2005/ Dir: Vijay S Jodha / India)
Healers for all reasons is a fascinating portrait of Rehmat Khan Solanki and Karimbhai Sumra - two village healers of Gujarat , whose lives and works embody respect for biodiversity, Gandhian selfless service and promotion of communal harmony at the grassroots. Rehmat Khan Solanki of Chur village (northern Gujarat) uses traditional and eco-friendly methods to cure animals and is called "Gopal bapa" by Hindu villagers for being a benefactor of cattle like Hindu deity Lord Krishna. Karimbhai Sumra of Virampur village (southern Gujarat) uses herbs to treat humans, animals and even plants (herbal pesticides). He has also gone to the extent of creating a forest of 12,000 plant varieties that have great medicinal value. Men of modest means, these healers serve tribal forest dwellers, villagers and others who have little access to modern medical facilities. Yet these healers demand no fee for their services and sustain themselves by doing other jobs on the side. Mainstream scientists and organisations have recognized their work.
This films is as much their personal story as the larger story of knowledge- rich but economically poor people all over the world who have been serving society for generations but are now increasingly being marginalized by a corporate and market driven system that exploits the same knowledge and the forests that sustains these people, while giving back little in return.

10. Sea City

(Sea City/English-Hindi-Marathi/DVD/30 minutes/2005/Dir: Lalitha Krishna/ India)
Bombay was once just seven islands separated by low-lying creeks over-grown with mangroves where fish and crab abounded. The Kolis- a fishing community - were the original inhabitants of these islands. Sea City is an exploration of the relationship between Bombay city and this fishing community that were once the only inhabitants of these islands.
Over the years as Bombay grew in importance first as a port and then a major industrial and commercial capital, the creeks were filled to build roads, factories came up and the population grew as people migrated here seeking work. Today Mumbai is a mix of people and communities from all over the nation. And the Kolis are exactly where they have always been...clinging to the coasts as their livelihood demands. They go out to fish throughout the year except during the monsoons and bring in the fish for which Mumbai is famous. And as before, they pray to the oceans for their safe returns.
While roads, reclamations, coastal rules and rising land prices have affected their way of life, they as an urban community also face the challenges of new aspirations and a media manufactured self-image.



STUDENT CATEGORY

1. Mela-The Musical

(Mela-The Musical /Hindi/ 22 minutes/DV Format/ 2005/ Dir:Rakesh Bhatram Semwal / School Of Architecture, CEPT Ahmedabad)
'Mela -the musical' bring you all visuals...people working in the mela and also visitors who come to enjoy these funny rides. See what happens when the mela doesn't function, and how the workers involved in the mela carry out their morning activities and actually prepare for the mela to start.

2. Life on Four Wheels

(Life on Four Wheels/Hindi-Eng/ 38 minutes/DV Format/2005/Dir: Anshuman Jha / St. Xavier College, Mumbai)
"Life on Four wheels" is an insightful, and frequently hilarious, first hand account of the lives of Mumbai's taxi drivers. It reveals how, very few of these men are actually living the life they once aspired to. Through a series of honest interviews, the documentary delves deeper not just into their existence but also gives the viewer a sense of Mumbai as seen through the eyes of these common people.

3. Dawn to Dusk, and further......a story of horse-cart pullers

(Dawn to Dusk, and further....a story of horse-cart pullers/Eng/13 minutes/ DV Format/ 2005/Dir: Anshul A Ojha & Neal Kartik / Madhubala Institute of Communication & Electronic Media)
This student production is about dying culture of Tangawalas on the road of Delhi. "From dawn to dusk these tangawalas move....look for passengers.....drop them to their destination....with so many problems and the biggest question mark on their survival.....the tangawallas manage to be blissful, satisfied.....they keep on moving......singing their own songs......symphonizing their life around the galloping horse, the companion for life.

4. Aamchi Kasauti (BEST STUDENT FILM)

(Aamchi Kasauti/ Hindi-Marathi/ 12 minutes/ DV Format/2005/ Dir:Rrivu Laha / Film and Television Institute of India, Pune)
Dawn breaks in the city of Pune.....Sita, Shewanta, Kaushalya are seen dusting the streets around the town. ....What could they be possibly looking or? They are a rare bread of traders. They scavenge dust from daybreak to dusk and take their harvest at the end of the day to the gold traders who mark it against a kasauti or a testing stone to evaluate the harvest. The film is their story-Aamchi Kasauti....Our Test

5. One Show Less (FIRST PRIZE)

(One show lss/Hindi/19minutes/MiniDV/2005/Dir:Nayantara.C.Kotian/National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad/ India)
'One show less' concerns itself with the increasing numbers of single screen cinemas that are shutting down, all over the country. The film focuses on one theatre, Usha Talkies, whose spirited employees and raucous, seat-breaking public make it one of a kind. As the ticket seller puts it, this cinema is meant for the masses- if this theatre shuts down as well, the question raised is 'are the masses to be deprived of the incomparable experience of watching cinema on the big screen?' Through a series of evocative arguments put forth by the employees of Usha Talkies, a vivid portrait is painted of a unique way of life,which might soon become extinct.

6. Refugees of War

(Refugees of War/Singhalese/30 minutes/DVformat/2005/Dir: MW Geethani Senavirathna/ National Youth Centre/ Sri Lanka)
Delft is the largest island In the North of Sri Lanka. People had inhabited this island from the ancient times and old commercial lines lay across this island. The inhabitants of this island have been put into severe hardships because of the existing war is the North East of Sri Lanka. The majority of the in habitants are fisherman. Mary of them have left their home. The first sequence of the documentary opens a dialogue on the living conditions of these fisherman battered by the war. Portuguese brought horses to this island in 1600 A.D. for their warfare. When the invaders left Sri Lanka, they left behind these horses. These horses lived in the jungles of the island for about 400 years. The population of the horses today stands 4000 in number. But today they are on the path to extinction due to the scarcity of food and water. The island gets little rainfall. The second sequence of the documentary brings to light the life style of these horses. This documentary brings to light its attention on the horses. This documentary brings to light the life style of these horses, the tragic situation they are in, the hopelessness of the people resulting from the war and the collapse of their life style. This documentary develops a comparative analysis on broth the horses and the people of the island being reduced to refugee status and the collapse of their life. The program while looking in to the impact the war has on the life of the people as well as the animals. The socio economics problems and the environmental problems in the island takes the form of a tour by an explorer.

7. The Real Pillars

(The Real Pillars/Gujarati/mini DV/20minutes/Dir: Charmi Soni, Chetan Pagi, Pritesh Luhar, Radhika Raol, Vishal Patadiya / Gujarat University/India 2005)
"The real pillars…" first time reveals the tough lives of construction labourers, migrating every year from Dahod to Ahmedabad (200 km) to earn their bread and butter. These labourers are mostly Bhil adivasis (tribals). Every year more than half a million tribal leave their homes, native land and social traditions. Despite the whole year's drudgery, they can not even save reasonable amount to take back to home. The film discloses their lives. How is their life in Dahod-their native place? What forces them to migrate? How they live at their working place? What kind of problem they have to face?

8. Flight of Distress

(Flights of Distress/Bengali-English/mini DV/ 32 minutes/2005 /Dir: Somdev Chatterjee/ Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute /India)
When the government of India banned catching and trading of Indian birds more then three decades ago, it did not take adequate measures to rehabilitate the people associated with this trade. Instead the whole community of Byadhs (bird catchers) found themselves deprived of their livelihood overnight. The film follows Kalo, a Byadh, as he goes on his daily trips to catch birds and sell them. He talks about the hardships he and his community has had to face due to the negligence of the government. He has tried to get into some other profession a number of times, without success. The fact that he, like most of his community, is illiterate and has never practiced any other trade in his life does not help matters.
The films goes on to explore the roles of the other players in this game - the traders, the forest department and the police, and reveals the web of conflicting interests, ignorance and sheer callousness that together ensure that people like Kalo are forced to be perpetually on the run from the law and our feathered friends continue to live under threat from the poacher's nets and the terrible glued sticks

9. Kaagda Peeth - The Crow's Back

(Kaagda Peeth -The Crow's Back/Gujarati-English/mini DV/27minutes/2005/Dir: Ipsit Patel, Balaji Mohan R, Rika Chaudhry, & Sagarika Suri/ Ahmedabad, School of Architecture, CEPT/India)
The movie begins to establish awareness about how garbage travels through our city and where it finally reaches. On its way it encounters sweepers, municipal workers and the indispensable rag pickers who spend theirs days looking through waste to salvage what can be used again. It gets more involved and personal as the amount of garbage grows and the stories of the rag pickers reveal their hardship, thereby hoping to obtain a certain level of sampathy from the audience. The movie then switches to an optimistic tone where interviews reveal ways and means of changing the prevailing conditions, and how an individual may contribute.

10. Virus in the Antidote

(Virus in the Antidote/42 minutes/DV format/2005/Dir: Sukriti Saha Kolkata/ National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad/India)
The Dokras are one of the traditionally nomadic tribes who have been engaged in the craft of metal casting for centuries. The dokra smiths have now settled down in different parts of West Bengal, such as Dariapur, in the district of Burdwan. This extremely poor craft community of West Bengal are also most interesting and highly creative. In the recent years, because of the pressures of all embracing industrialization and changing social values, they have been forced, by the loss their art is facing. Greedy dealers in handicrafts take advantage of this predicament.

11. A Page from the Red Data Book

(A Page from the Red Data Book/15 minutes/DV format/2005/Dir: Saurav Dey/ Film & TV Institute of India/India)
The hand-pulled rickshaw, a heritage vehicle of Kolkata, would be abolished soon from the city. The documentary explores the emotions of one rickshaw puller, Rambahadur, hoping that it would epitomize the emotions of the rest of the fraternity as well. It also examines whether the ideological principle behind the abolition-that 'man carrying man is unacceptable' holds true for the people who do it themselves.
Rambahadur is about 45. He has been pulling rickshaws in the streets of Kolkata from his youth. The film captures a day in his life to get an insight into his mind and his way of life. It also tries to find out his emotional attachment with the vehicle in question. Is it just a mere loss of occupation that Rambahadur is afraid of, or will the 'abolition' have a much greater psychological impact on his being? The Red Data Book keeps an account of all the endangered species of the world-the rickshaw -puller seems to be highly endangered right now.