WHISTLE, a nine-minute short film directed by Navraj Raj based on a story by Navjot Dhillon was screened on Saturday, September 14 by Chetna Association of Canada in the Dr. Ambedkar Room at Surrey Center Library.
It was arranged as a part of the upcoming Gender Equality Week (September 22 to 28). The venue was selected because of the longstanding partnership between Chetna Association of Canada and the Surrey Libraries going back to 2012 when the room was first named in honor of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was first named.
Whistle, a joint production of Creative Heights Productions and Dynamic Creative Horizons, explored beliefs and taboos using blowing whistles as a symbol where girls are told: “girls don’t blow whistles.” The film effectively brings forward many other actions that girls and women are told not to do, thereby limiting the potential of women.
The screening of the film was well aligned with the 2024 theme of the Gender Equality Week — Unlocking Potential: Economic Power through Gender Equality.
After the screening, the organizers, the audience, and emerging new filmmakers had and interactive dialogue about the film, gender equality, the progress made by women, and further ideas from maximizing the potential of women. The filmmakers and the team were recognized and presented with an award for making the film and initiating a dialogue on women empowerment.
Updates on Chetna Association of Canada’s “Project Equality” and the anti-caste movement were also shared. Param Kainth of AICS [Ambedkarite International Co-Ordination Society] Canada and Rashpaul Bharadwaj of AISRO [Ambedkar International Social Reform Organization] Canada were also present and acknowledged for their support in taking forward Project Equality.
Makhan Tut, founder of Mamta Foundation of Canada, an organization that supports and empowers abandoned children to receive education and maximize their potential, also spoke on the occasion. He also shared situations where girls in Canad were killed as an act of honor killing for marrying without the consent of their families.
Tarlok Sablok, an actor in the film and recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, shared the importance of empowering girls and women. Sablok also encouraged promoting the teachings of Dr. Ambedkar, known as the Father of Indian Constitution.
(BY JAI BIRDI)
