A 3-day film festival from 3-5 Dec, 2004, organized by Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA), Vikalp and Lok Vangmaya Griha evoked a very enthusiastic response from youths gathered from different parts of the city. Harish Sadani, Hon.Secretary, MAVA, at the outset, pointed that the objective of the festival was to promote sensitivity to gender issues, develop their perspective and elicit the active participation of boys and men in addressing these issues, which are largely seen as women’s issues. 

Docummentary Maker Anand Patwardhan , whose film ‘Father, Son and Holy War,’ kick-started the festival, told the 280- odd youths gathered that there was a connection between religious fanaticism and masculinity. He said that there were similarities between the street peddlars of aphrodisiacs and religious fanatics as both were cashing in on the insecurities of men in a male-dominated society.

This sentiment was also echoed by social activist Manish Gupte from MASUM – Mahila Arthik Sarvangin Utkarsh Mandal, Pune who while participating in a panel discussion on ‘Reconstructing Masculinities : Challenges and Issues’, said that the rising tide of fundamentalism and militarization world over has further trampled on the rights of women. She said that whenever a ‘threat’ to the culture was felt, first thing to go were the rights of women. ‘‘The social and political forces who often give the battle-cry of saving our culture only deprive women of their rights’’, the social activist said. Unless women are given equal right over economic resources and property, there will be no significant metamorphosis in the traditional roles of men and women, Ms.Gupte observed.

Prof. Mangesh Kulkarni, Lecturer at SNDT University, participating in the panel discussion, opined that the patriarchal masculinity was a great burden for men, too, and they also needed to be ‘liberated’ from the shackles of patriarchy. He highlighted as to how in a patriarchal structure, which has existed in Indian society for several centuries, manhood is connected with power, leadership, achievement and success. However, when they fail to achieve these goals, most men often experience powerlessness. Prof. Kulkarni stressed the fact that from bedroom to boardroom, men, often, suffer from performance- anxiety. He also explained as to how in a male-dominated society, many dalits, labourers, homosexuals, transgenders do not have equal rights, despite being men and how their marginalized and subordinated status remains invisible. 

At the festival, over 18 short films and documentaries on issues of as vary as domestic violence, marital rape, trafficking and sexual harassment were screened, which included Priyadarshini’s sensitively handled ‘Rape by Right’(painstakingly researched and produced, despite acute monetary and time constraints), Rahul Roy’s ‘Jahan Chaar Yaar Mil Jaye’ and ‘Majma’, ‘Macho’ (from Nicaragua), ‘Ye Hui Na Mardon Waali Baat’ and ‘Shattered Dreams’ (from Pakistan). Actress Sonali Kulkarni, Social Activist Dr.Pravin Patkar, Prof. Shobha Ghosh and Prof. Ravi Keskar interacted and channelised many of the discussions that spontaneously followed after the screenings.

Over 70 students of Mass Media from SIES College, Sion actively volunteered for several activities of the festival. Without their personal involvement, the festival wouldn’t have been a great success.