A Time to Rise, In Memory of Friends, We are not your Monkeys, and Ribbons for Peace by Anand Patwardhan
A Time to Rise ( 1981) On April 6, 1980, the Canadian Farmworkers Union came into existence. This film documents the conditions among Chinese and East Indian immigrant workers in British Columbia that provoked the formation of the union, and the response of growers and labor contractors to the threat of unionization. Made over a period of two years, the film is eloquent testimony to the progress of the workers’ movement from the first stirrings of militancy to the energetic canvassing of union members.
In Memory of Friends (1990) documents the violence and terror in Punjab, India – a land torn apart by religious fundamentalists and a repressive government. The film explores the Khalistan movement, focusing on the contrasting legacies of the socialist freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, who is claimed by both nationalist and separatist factions and documents efforts by Sikh and Hindu socialists to promote communal harmony and an egalitarian vision, contrasting it with the political turmoil and state-sponsored violence of the period.
We are not your monkeys (1996) We Are Not Your Monkeys is a music video that reworks the epic Ramayana story to critique the caste and gender oppression implicit in it. Sung by Sambhaji Bhagat and composed by Sambhaji, the late Daya Pawar and Anand Patwardhan, the music video opposes the systematic oppression and negation of basic human rights of the underclass, in the name of religion and culture.
Ribbons for Peace (1998) Made in the aftermath of Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests, Ribbons gives new meaning to an old film song by Kishore Kumar – a kind of “Imagine” composed before the days of John Lennon. With guest appearances by well-known movie stars like Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan, Kittu Gidwani and Chandrachur, the film was made to counter a pro-nuke music video made by the political party in power.
The screening will be followed by a conversation with Anand Patwardhan and Teesta Setalvad.
About Anand Patwardhan: A Retrospective
Anand Patwardhan is one of India’s most acclaimed documentary filmmakers, known for over five decades of fearless, politically engaged cinema. His films are both chronicles of resistance and cinematic interventions that confront the silences of official history, and have inspired generations of activists and filmmakers worldwide.
About Cinema House
Cinema House, a collective film viewing series, creates opportunities to celebrate independent films. Every month, our black box theatre transforms into a single-screen theatre dedicated to independent, regional, and contemporary world cinema accompanied by conversations with cast, crew, and audiences.