Young hearts, run free
The Hindu : s, Suresh Govindraj and Swathi Ramesh, had four minutes to make a story into a film. They are from a world where they have to walk for water, carry heavy buckets back and study under a streetlight.
These brave hearts of Christel House India (a non-profit centre for underprivileged children) were in class VIII, last November, when they worked to tell their story through film. And they have been chosen for the Official Competition of the Kids for Kids Festival 2007 (an international film festival for kids) in the Live Action (13 to 16 years old) category in Naples, beginning from the end of this year.
So what happens if they don’t have proper light to read books or study, eat meagre meals, carry rock-heavy buckets of water or join their parents as a construction labourer or plumber?
Good opportunity
Christel House India provides them with the opportunity to study and play. And imagine, with this rare opportunity, they have already made a lovely short film in their own school premises by the age of 14.
It all happened when Adobe Youth Voices held a four-day workshop in their school in November 2006 where they learnt the basic skills of how to hold a camera, shoot and edit.
Then, they decided on a topic. We get a glimpse into what life would have been for them if it wasn’t for this opportunity of education and unique filmmaking workshop.
The film is short and gripping. You go along to Rakshitha’s house where she has to fill water from a common tap outside. She then shows you her bright, colourful school where she loves playing the keyboard in music classes. She knows she can do a lot to change Bangalore. She realises her responsibility as a young citizen.
