Big Capital in Retail: Matsyanyay (মাত্স্যন্যায়)

Matsyanyay (মাত্স্যন্যায়)

This is a documentary film about the entry of retail business in small industries and their effects on the small time businessmen as well as the common man. The name is a Bengali word matsyanyay (মাত্সান্যয়) which means a chaotic situation in which the big fishes eat the small fishes. Similarly, the entry of multi-national giants in small businesses have dealt a killing blow to the group of merchants in question. In response they have revolted against the many number of retail shops set up in various parts of the country. We take you through their movements and their demands and try to answer the questions of the effect this change in business stratagem may have on the economy and more importantly on the everyday life of the common man and the local businessman.

Matsanyay was made in the backdrop of massive capital investment in the Retail sector of West Bengal. The arrival of big capital in this sector meant massive spurt in growth of shopping malls and super markets. There was immediate loss of business for the traditional groceries, corporation markets and street hawkers. Even the wholesale market was not spared. Corporate giants came in to replace several middle players. The big corporations bought products directly from the producers and sold it to end users.

This film focuses on the impending loss of employment of several thousands from this process, especially in Bengal and also tried to bring to light the kind of jobs being generated in the process.

Kashmir: The Valley of Death

The Valley of Death

A human rights team from West Bengal made a visit to the Kashmir valley in the recent past. This film is the result of that footage gathered during that visit. Edited out of the footage of a solitary visit, the film has its limitations, however it does not fail to document the burning aspiration of the Kashmiri population, their demand for independence from the Indian military rule. The documentary also captures stories of horror narrated by the locals and also films agitations and street fights. All this in one visit definitely points to something that Indian mainstream media systematically ignores. The campaign now a days is that “violence” in the Valley is at an “all time low”.

The film is in partially in English and partially in Hindi.
Director: Sitanshu Sekhar
Contact:  s.sitansu@gmail.com

Eviction: In the Name of Development(উন্নয়নের নামে)

In the Name of Development(উন্নয়নের নামে)

This film focuses on the movement of Singur and Nandigram. It tries to accommodate the debate the rose following the attempted acquisition of fertile agricultural land forcefully by the state to hand it over to big corporates.

The film is in Bengali (বাংলা) but has english subtitles.
Director: Partha Sarathi Banerjee
Contact:  psb3210@yahoo.co.in

The story of the struggle at Nandigram: Bujhecho Upen (বুঝেছ উপেন)

Bujhecho Upen (বুঝেছ উপেন)

A film on the beginning of the Nandigram movement.

The film is in Bengali (বাংলা).
Director: Sitanshu Sekhar
Contact:  s.sitansu@gmail.com

Nandigram Movement: For the sake of Development (উন্নয়নের জন্য)

For the sake of Development (উন্নয়নের জন্য)

This is a continuation of the earlier film Bujhecho Upen (বুঝেছ উপেন) and covers the second half of the Nandigram movement.

The film is in Bengali (বাংলা) but has english subtitles.
Director: Sitanshu Sekhar
Contact:  s.sitansu@gmail.com

Nandigram: Development at Gunpoint (উন্নয়ন – বন্দুকের নলে)

Development at Gunpoint (উন্নয়ন – বন্দুকের নলে)

A film on the successful movement in Nandigram that prevented land grab. It begins with questioning the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as a whole. The film ends with the men women and children of Nandigram raising the question that Dhananjay was hanged for raping a girl but what about those who raped tens of women?

The film is in English.
Director: Pramod Gupta

Kamtapuri Struggle: Quest (খোঁজ)

Quest (খোঁজ)

This film is the only video documentation of the Kamtapuri movement. This movement is led by the rajbangshis (রাজবংশী) of Cooch Behar Region, who also call themselves Kamtapuris. The movement started with addressing the deprivations of the indigenous population of the region and then gradually transformed into a movement demanding the recognition of the identity of the Kooch Rajbangshis. The movement demands a separate state, Kamtapur for the local indigenous population.

The film is in Bengali (বাংলা) but has english subtitles.
Director: Soma Ghosh
Contact:  somaghosh75@rediffmail.com