WIDE ANGLE supported film wins accolades

Ruptured Spring a short documentary directed by Haobam Paban Kumar and produced by Montu Ahanthem, Director, Wide Angle and supported by European Union has been awarded the BEST DOCUMENTARY in the 3rd Siliguri International Short & Documentary Film Festival held from 12 to 14 Oct. The film is an investigative journey to highlight the dilemmas of children of Manipur so that they can at least enjoy their basic rights provided under the constitution of India. The award consisting of a citation, a trophy and a token cash honorarium was conferred to Haobam Paban Kumar in a colorful opening ceremony of the 13^th Silguri International Film Festival (an extension of the 18th Kolkata Film Festival) on 19th November Monday evening at Dinabandhu Mancha Siliguri. The festival has been organized by the Siliguri Cine Society with active support from the Department of North Bengal Development Authorities Government of West Bengal, Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Dinabandhu Mancha Advisory Board and Federation of Film Societies of India (ER). Out of 180+ entries received from home & abroad, 42 films were selected for the festival. The jury headed by eminent film journalist Ms. Shoma A. Chatterjee gave the following awards:

Best Documentary: H. Pabankumar - Ruptured Spring

Best Short Fiction: Juan Pablo Zaramella - Luminars

2nd Best Documentary: Vivek Asri - 110002

2nd Best Short Fiction: Salil Lal Ahmed - Chauthullal

Special Jury Mention: Raja Shabir Khan - Angels of Troubled Paradise

Mass Meeting cum Rally

Consultation with Elected representative on Entitlement Rights

Rally against violation of child rights

Wide Angle Social Development Organisation with the support of various non-governmental and civil society organisations held a mass rally cum public meeting against the government’s inefficacies in checking violation of child rights at HAO Ground at Pishum Lampak on Monday.
Parents and children with background of HIV-AIDS and arms conflict, members of child rights NGOs and civil society organisations and other individuals took part in the rally which was flagged off by the president of Universal Mothers’ Association, Sorojini, from HAO Ground.
Speaking at the public meeting, Secretary of Wide Angle, Montu Ahanthem claimed that the rights guaranteed to the children under the Constitution of India remained only on the paper. Manipur has been experiencing multiple forms of child rights violations like rape, murder, child trafficking, child labour, child soldiering, he stated

while lamenting the inactivity of the State Government to tackle the issues.
The purpose of the rally was to bring public awareness on the unending violation of child rights and to strengthen the response of civil society organisations and related authorities, he continued.
He further stated that the department concerned should clarify before the public on the allegation leveled by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) on the impairment of juvenile justice service in Manipur bymassive corruption, reports of which was carried in local dailies.
Special Correspondent of Seven Sister Post, Yumnam Rupachandra stated that while the advantages of early grooming of children is universally accepted, the children of Manipur are reeling in trauma as victims of conflicts and political disturbances. The children who underwent the mind wrecking experiences will reflect it in coming years when they reached adulthood.
He further highlighted the importance of higher vigilance and responsive actions from civil society organisations on rape cases.
Correspondent of The Telegraph, Th Khelen spoke on the importance of creating awareness among parents on child rights and related issues.
Sorojini expressed anguish over the rapid increase in violence against children and stated that the dignity of women and children cannot be negotiated.
Social activist, Dhanabir Laishram stated that people need to focus on a collective environment for addressing the issue of child rights. He further stressed on promoting the democratic functioning of family where children are given a place in the decision making process.