NEW DELHI, Aug 4: Learning to deal with disasters both man made and natural has been the subject of several documentaries and films globally, some of which are now being screened at a special festival here.
“Shock Waves 2012”, a two-day film festival on disaster risk reduction is being organised by Global Forum for Disaster Reduction (GFDR)in collaboration with Japan Foundation, India, UNICEF, UNDO and Film Trust India.
The event, which began here on August 3 is screening films on issues relating to disaster management.
“Apart from experiencing sharing and raising awareness these films also help sensitize common people and decision makers towards issues…,” says Anuj Tiwari, Executive Director Second International Film Festival on Disaster Risk Reduction – Shock Waves 2012.
“This becomes important as the experience worldwide shows that an informed, aware and a more prepared society has been able to face disasters in a much better way thereby minimizing casualties and other losses. This is an effort in this direction,” he says.
The initiative was begun in 2010 with an Asian Film Festival on Disaster Risk Reduction at Incheon, in Korea during the 4th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in collaboration with Asian Disaster Reduction Center Kobe Japan and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center Bangkok, Thailand.
GFDR then upscaled the event to International level and hosted first “Shock Waves” festival in April here last year.
This event was organized in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT, India), Unicef, Sphere India, Plan India and Film Trust India.
Films screened this year are slotted in different categories – Learnings from Japan, Living with Disasters, Beyond Disasters (Sustainable Development), Indigenous Knowledge and Practices, Protecting our Earth, Culture of Disaster Preparedness (School and Community Focus).
“Beyond Prayers”, a film by Neelima Mathur on Ladakh documents the work done by Chewang Norphel to ensure that farmers get adequate water supply during summer.
“Setting sail from the ruins”, “Can you see our lights?” “Japan after 3:11” are among a selection of films that potray how the Japanese have rebuild their lifes in a nation that has witnessed several calamities like the Tsunami, earthquakes and nuclear holocaust etc. (PTI)
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