Page 3 of 9

It is to start a process of close analysis and research of the films being made in the country that BROTHERHOOD came up with the idea of an international special film festival. By screening Hollywood and Bollywood movies together, one also can make a comparative analysis and that is what Brotherhood has attempted through the two film festivals organized so far. And of course, the attempt is also to classify the major and minor films which have either used disability as a theme or built their script and storyline around the lives of persons with disabilities so that a realistic assessment of where Indian cinema stands vis-à-vis the disability experience can be carried out.

Much of this work is being planned through the National Disability Film Centre which aims to be a repository of research and documentation for those wanting to go deeper into the subject. Apart from keeping the CDs and DVDs of films and documentaries on the subject, the NDFC plans to advance research and also use films to create awareness on disability issues especially among children by screening these films in schools.

The following are the objectives of the proposed National Disability Film Centre:

1. To establish a permanent resource centre starting with a library of books, manuscripts periodicals, still photographs, posters, audio-video recordings on disability issues from within and outside the country for reference, research and study.
2. To build up a comprehensive collection of Films (both fiction and non fiction), features and shorts, documentaries, educational and motivational films on issues relating to disability made in India and abroad, either in Film / Video or Digital format.
3. To document content data of all the film and non film material in the collection of the Centre in a scientific manner, for possible use by researchers, communicators, media personnel and others interested in the use of the material in their respective fields.
4. To set up a distribution network throughout the country for the wider reach of the films / videos and print material to all sections of society.
5. To encourage research and use of the material for creating awareness on disability issues through films (features as well as documentaries), audio-video and audio-visual material in schools, colleges, educational institutions and among the public on an ongoing basis.
6. To organize regular workshops, training programmes and film festivals and seminars in different cities as part of the awareness programme mentioned above.
7. To build up the necessary infrastructure for the production of educational and motivational film/video programmes on disability issues by trained personnel who have been specially trained for making such films.
8. To serve as a catalyst for influencing professionals involved in Film and TV production, for the correct treatment and depiction of the subject in entertainment films and TV serials dealing with disability issues and act as a watchdog in monitoring such distorted depictions to ensure that disability is not taken advantage of for material gains.  Most such distortions are being perpetuated in the name of entertainment and box office requirements by vested interests without realizing the tremendous harm they are doing in terms of creating misunderstanding and false notions among ordinary people about the subject.
9. To conduct periodical training programmes / workshops either independently or in collaboration with established institutions like Film and Television Institute, Pune, SR FTI, Mass Communication and Research Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia, India Institute for Mass Communication and others to sensitize new and upcoming film makers, Non-Governmental Organizations and funding agencies to take up the subject connected with disability issues in their future production programmes.
10. To provide adequate expertise on disability issues to institutions and individuals interested in making films/documentaries/audio-visual programmes on the subject.
11. To encourage persons with disability to get involved in the making of films, TV and audio-visual programmes.
12. To persuade both public and private TV channels to allow time slots in their day-to-day programmes on disability issues.