16, Jan 2012

The film festival organized by the Villa Marie Degree College for Women for its Mass Communication students offered an excellent opportunity for the showcasing of fresh talents in short-film making. The entries were an elegant mix of creative inputs that were effective and compassionate. Some in the competition were classics created out of confusion. Some truly stood out and thus bagged a clutch of prizes and the appreciation of audiences and judges alike.

The films were judged by M. Sreenath Reddy, HOD Department of Communication and Journalism, OU; Dr. K. Narendar, Professor at Communication and Journalism Department and R. Santosh Kumar, Sports Editor, Eenadu School of Journalism.

The short film with the quaintly unusual title ‘: S’ bagged the best film, best direction, and best story awards. The title is the symbol that is often used in texting on mobiles, one that sometimes creates confusion. The film made by five BA Mass Communication students — Vaijayanthi, Akhila, Sammena, Shifa, and Rachana — beautifully captured the predicament of young girls when their parents are in a hurry to get them married off. Perfectly crafted and shot with passion, it had the arrogance of youth mixed with the fears of a young girl forced to meet a boy to discuss marriage. The team handled the sensitivities and sensibilities involved in such situations, infusing in the process some wit as well. Brilliant performance by the students added to the tight script, making it a film worth watching.

There were other entries too in which the talent of students came to the fore — Behind the Scenes, Juvenile Delinquency and two other films with public service messages dealt with subjects that were contemporary and socially relevant. The applauding in the auditorium indicated the interest they generated. The film Quanda shot by the Mass Communication lecturer Anita received special appreciation. Students appreciated the support of faculty members Farheen Khan and S. Prabhakar. “We give the best to our students and they deliver the best,” said the college principal Y. Philomena while handing over the prizes.