Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore                         

Mangalore, Apr 2: 'Mahua Memoirs,' winner of Silver Conch for the second best documentary film in the short and animation films category at the 10th Mumbai International Film Festival will be screened at St Aloysius College here on Sunday April 6 at 4.30 pm.  The documentary has been directed by Vinod Raja.

Fr Swebert D'Silva, principal, St Aloysius College will be chief  guest.

'Mahua Memoirs' exposes the decimation of adivasis and their land and culture due to ruthless behaviour of the corporate world to improve their business. It shows the urgency of re-examination of present day policies of the government. In Mahua Memoirs, Saloo, the bard and Thirku Baiga take the viewers on a journey through the lives of the many adivasi communities who live in the mountain tracts and forests of the Eastern Ghats across Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand. The story unfolds both their life  and struggles against the merciless mining, particularly during the past two decades.

Vinod Raja says that the idea of the film came to his mind from his meeting with Mahasweta Devi many years ago and from his curiosity to know about the young children at Bangalore traffic lights who perform to earn a few coins.

The film races back and forth from 2002 to 2006, and across landscapes, weaving together episodes. The story narrates the story of the tribal communities, who are the poorest and the most deprived in the country. The adivasi lands are rich in minerals. The film captures the adivasi's reluctance to leave their place. Eviction looms large and big businesses take advantage because the adivasis do not have land deeds. The stage is set for violence against people as well the ecology.