Report by Shyamala Khandige, Journalism Student, St Aloysius College

Mangalore, Mar 20: "It was lively, and it had issues of current interest," said advocate Anita Shenoy at an award-giving ceremony here at St Aloysius College, Mangalore on Monday. She was speaking about the film "Where's the Road?" which won the prize instituted by Shenoy herself.

Shenoy, a renowned lawyer practising in Mangalore District Court, was taken up by the talent on display at Shooting Stars - 2007, the students' short film-making competition-cum-film festival in early March. During the festival on March 3, ten short features and four short documentaries were screened, which she had watched from the audience.

Soon after the film festival, she had contacted Fr Richard Rego, Head, Department of Journalism and expressed her desire to institute an award for the best film.

Shenoy herself chose two films from the documentary section, which were made during the National-level Documentary workshop conducted in October 2006.

"A Day Out in the Sea - Trawler Fishing" made by Shyamala Khandige, Mahesh Nair, Cynanda and Niranjan Rai was selected its 'visual purity', the winner "Where's the Road?" - a satire on the pathetic condition of Mangalore roads was selected for its thematic treatment and relevance. The winner was awarded a cash prize of Rs 2,501.

Speaking on the occasion, Fr Francis Serrao SJ, Rector, appreciated the commitment of the journalism department staff - Fr Richard Rego and Suman Mendonca, under whose guidance the movies were made, and the film festival was organized. "Unless we have deep commitment to society, we cannot have compassion for the poorer sections. Media people must be committed to society to bring in social change," he said.

Shenoy has instituted two awards for the two best films in the coming years.