New Delhi: Remember how your social media timelines were full of photographs of beautiful Syrian children maimed in an unfair war. Those heart-wrenching videos and photographs deeply affected filmmaker Paakhi A Tyrewala and that's the reason why she is thrilled that her debut feature film 'Pahuna' will be screened for Syrian children.
An emotional Paakhi A Tyrewala says, "Films can be a lot of things. Sometimes they are pure entertainment, other times educational; they can be a catalyst for change or reminder of our roots. During the various festival screenings, I realized that children not only loved 'Pahuna' but the film empowered them as well. With Pahuna we want to provide the children in these camps with not only entertainment but also give them hope and courage. It's a movie filled with love and nobility. All the things if introduced at the right time can change a life. If nothing else the children deserve smiles and laughter. I hope 'Pahuna' empowers the children who live in these refugee camps.
The filmmaker adds, "Since the movie is about displaced children, I feel it would connect to the Syrian children who have also been displaced because of the strife in their country."
The film will be screened in Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, and the filmmaker are trying for Syria as well. "The idea is to show it to as many children as possible and then draw them into the conversation. Have an exchange of ideas. If it works positively then my company Sketch Pen would like to make it an ongoing project."
In order for the children to understand the film, there will be live translations in Kurdish and Arabic. Paakhi explains this as an exercise to include local people. “Dubbing is an expensive affair so the next best option is a real-time translation. A person will translate the dialogues of all the characters as they speak in the film,” she says.
Pahuna is the story of two siblings who get separated from their parents while fleeing to Sikkim to escape the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. The film happens to be India's first Sikkimese feature film.
The film successfully premiered at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2017, where it received a standing ovation. The film also won the Best Film (Jury Choice) at The International Children’s Film Festival in Germany and won the Best Film Award by the European Jury and a special mention in the International Category at the Schlingel Film Festival. It has been produced by Madhu Chopra and Priyanka Chopra under the banner Purple Pebble Pictures.