Organiser: Voices from the Waters, the International Travelling Film Festival

Venue: Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Christ University and Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore

Voices from the Waters, the International Travelling Film Festival was initiated by Bangalore Film Society in 2005, as an effective way of reaching out to the uninitiated on water issues with an emphasis on high school, college students and the youth. The festival aims to bring together high school and college students, grass-root level water activists, environmentalists, scientists, policy makers, film-makers, lecturers, scholars, artists, working professionals from all walks of life to engage in a process of learning and debate on various water issues from around the world.

Apart from screening of internationally acclaimed films on various water themes, the other attractions of the festival are painting and photo exhibitions, art installations, interactions with film directors, water scholars, grass root level water voices and water songs. There will be three days special screenings of the films for high school students at Balbhavan, Cubbon Park, Bangalore. 

Bangalore is thirsty and most Bangaloreans spend exorbitant amounts of money on water for basic necessities. While we read every day in the newspapers of the drinking water crisis, as per a report published in The Hindu dated April 12th 2011,"the drinking water crisis looms large in over 4,000 villages and 38 towns in 12 districts of Karnataka" which highlights the enormity of the issue. Most states of India suffer from shortage of drinking water and we all need to act together to avert a catastrophe waiting to happen. Voices from the Waters  International Travelling Film Festival is unique in its approach to raising awareness among the public to conserve our drinking water resources for posterity, to save ourselves and the planet. 

Voices from the Waters has established its relevance over the last six years and has consistently received films for the festival from across the world, underlining the global concern for water. The festival is growing in stature year after year, with more and more institutions coming forward to collaborate with us and take the festival across India and abroad, giving the film makers a chance to exhibit their works to a broader and diverse audience to enhance water and environmental consciousness. 

The festival ends in a Conference on September 2nd 2012. There is also an exclusive preview of a multimedia art exhibition by Markus Heinsdorff at Max Mueller Bhavan throughout the festival. Please see the attachment for the conference theme and schedule, and the art exhibition.

The collaborators of the Voices from the Waters International festival are Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Max Muller Bhavan, SVARAJ, Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, (FLEFF) Ithaca College, USA, Christ University, Bangalore, VISTHAR, Charter of Human Responsibilities, SAMVADA, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, Art group, Doddaballapur, YWCA Bangalore and Water Journeys - Campaign for Fundamental Right to Water.

Festival dates: August 30 - September 2, 2012

Contact details:

Voices from the Waters Master classes
No.33/1-9, Thygaraja Layout
Jaibharath Nagar, M.S. Nagar P.O
Bangalore 560 033
Phone: Diana +91-80-9986926103
Land line: +91-80-25493705
e-mail: bangalorefilmsociety@gmail.com
Website: www.voicesfromthewaters.com

Download attachment for the detailed programme schedule.

Check out IWP Volunteer Preeti Jolad's article on the Festival here.