39 short films screened at transgender film festival and competition

Madurai: As many as 39 short films covering various aspects of the life of transgenders and their dreams were screened at the two-day Transgender Short Film Festival and Documentary Film Competition – 2018 which concluded at the American College on Saturday.

The festival was organized by the Transgender Resource Center (TRC) and The American College, Madurai, to document transgenders as they were not covered in diverse aspects in mainstream cinema. TRC founder Priya Babu said that a few new trends emerged from the film festival.

“Thirty of these films and documentaries were shot exclusively for the film festival and competition. Transgenders had acted in 20 short films. Two transgenders acted in more than one short film. As many as eight transgenders acted in Manam Salithenada, a short film shot in poetic form. Seven films even had songs,” said Priya Babu.

She added that in the remaining 19 short films, students acted as transgenders. “A handful of students who directed and acted in the films came with their parents and sisters for the screening. This is against the traditional way of transgenders being treated as outcasts by our families,” she said.

Two short films were from Punjab and Mumbai. Journalist and activist P Jeeva Sundari from Chennai, transgender Subiksha of Bengaluru and N Elango head, department of English, American College, were the jury.

The following won the awards in various categories: Best actor – Yona Joshua in Ner Ner Thema; best actress – Jeeva Subramaniam in Thiru Thai Avalae; best director – Dhina Ragavan for Unmaiyarivayoo Vanna Malarae; best supporting role – Neha in Manam; best script – Arun Kumar Senthil for The Boy; best editing – Vivek Anand for Manam Salithenada and best cinematographer – Riyas for Iravin Pasi. The event was studded with cultural programmes by transgenders and students.

Four people from various fields who are working for the welfare of the third gender were also honoured at the event. Revathy was recognized for her works in theatre plays, Ve Munish, a writer and researcher on transgenders, J Siva Kumar head of human resources and admin of JK Fenner (India) Ltd. for contributions from the corporate sector and Murugesan Sivasubramanian the project director of The Humsafar Trust.