Land of Lime

This weekend, 3rd I San Francisco is organizing the 2006 Annual South Asian Film Festival.

Yesterday, I watched two films - The Forsaken Land and Omkara - from a truly impressive lineup of films. Later today, I will write more on the films, especially on The Forsaken Land, a brilliant Sri Lankan montage of images and meditation on the ravages of war.

Yet, I do want to share a sense of dissonance that I felt at the festival. The following paragraph is from the web page for the festival:

From art-house classics to documentary films, from innovative and experimental visions to next-level Bollywood: 3rd I is committed to promoting diverse images of South Asians through independent film. We showcase films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, the Maldives and the global South Asian Diaspora.

But if you look at the schedule carefully, all the films are either produced in Europe/America and for a western audience or major Bollywood productions, with abundant crossover appeal. I have no problems with such choices but it would be nice if the enthusiastic, energetic and committed group at the 3rd I were to be self aware, especially with regard to the film selection process. Perhaps they are. I did speak to many of the organizers but I don’t know how films are chosen.

I am, however, a professional South Asianist. Hence I am trained and paid to think about the ‘South Asian’ in the 2006 Annual South Asian Film Festival. So I am compelled to ask: how diverse these images are, even if they are about diversity and marginality in South Asia?

This may sound harsh, but the festival didn’t showcase films from any of the south Asian countries (with the exception of Bollywood) and was limited primarily to global diaspora and its images - of both itself and of South Asia. That’s perfectly legitimate. What troubles me is how images of dissent and marginality are created. A German film on Hijras (Between the Lines: India’s third gender) or a Canadian (even if it is Desi) look at globalization (Bombay Calling) is just what it is: a metropolitan consideration of marginality. It’s valuable but if our film festivals are all suffused with only such images, diversity will remain a cherished yet distant goal.

Having shared my unease, I also remain committed to helping 3rd I. We have begun exploring the possibility of a South India focus for next year’s festival. Hopefully, something will come out of it.