Children Of The Pyre - Documentary By Rajesh S Jala: Events in Hyderabad

Reality? Yes - this film contains reality that gets as bad as you can imagine, and maybe worse, if that is possible.

Access Livelihoods Consulting India Pvt. Ltd. is organising Tathya-II, a Short And Documentary Film Festival, on 27th & 28th November, at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. Some of these documentaries were featured at "Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival" organised by the Centre For Civil Society in Delhi. Children Of The Pyre, a thought-provoking documentary by Rajesh S Jala, will be screened on the first day, at 4:00pm.

"Children Of The Pyre" is a real-life narrative of 7 extraordinary children who make their living out of the dead at Manikarnika (near Benaras), the busiest cremation ground in India. Ill-fated and doomed without any hope of a normal childhood, these hapless children eke out a living by selling the colourful shrouds that embellish the corpses, often inviting the wrath of the kin of the dead.

Tempered by the heat of the pyre, strengthened in the face of adversities, crafted by the volley of abuses, these imps weave through the pyres and struggle through disdain to snatch their livelihoods. This film is a saga of exploitation that celebrates the victory of innocence over some of the most harrowing realities of life.

The film, made by Rajesh S Jala, won the awards for "Best Documentary" at Montreal World Film Festival in Canada and Sao Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil. It was also an official selection for IDFA, Amsterdam and IFFI, Goa.

Tathya is an effort to help the underprivileged receive recognition for their indispensable contribution towards India's growth story. Through 17 award-winning documentaries and short films, ALC India aims to share the success stories of ordinary people - the unsung heroes - in their struggle to make their ends meet in earning a living with the ever-changing environment.

Tathya has been conceptualized by management graduates from institutes like IRMA, XIMB, NIAM, IMT and Symbiosis, who are all part of the organization ALC India. ALC India is a professional management consulting institution with a focus on Enterprise Promotion, Employment Generation, Equitable Economic development, and Empowerment of the economically-marginalized in the country.

Entry is free for everyone. Please contact ALC India at 4017-7321 for further details.