W.O.M.B
(Women
Of
My
Billion),
a
poignant
documentary
exploring
the
social
and
political
issues
faced
by
women
in
today's
India,
will
open
this
year's
Indian
Film
Festival
of
Melbourne
(IFFM)
on
August
12,
the
festival
organisers
announced
on
Thursday.
Following
the
success
of
last
year's
digital
format,
the
12th
edition
of
the
IFFM
will
take
place
both
physically
and
virtually
amid
the
coronavirus
pandemic.
W.O.M.B,
an
extraordinary
real-life
story
tailored
by
director
Ajitesh
Sharma,
will
be
screened
physically
from
the
premiere
night.
It
was
also
showcased
at
the
London
Indian
Film
Festival
last
month.
The
documentary
feature
film
is
the
story
of
a
young
woman
named
Srishti
Bakshi
who
embarks
on
a
monumental
journey,
walking
almost
4000km
over
240
days,
from
Kanyakumari
in
the
south
to
Kashmir,
in
the
North,
along
the
way
meeting
and
learning
first
hand
about
the
experiences
of
many
women
from
all
corners
of
India.
Srishti
Bakshi
said
the
documentary
celebrates
ordinary
women
who
have
shown
extraordinary
courage
to
rise
above
their
limitations
and
challenge
deeply
entrenched
gender
norms.
"Violence
against
women
and
girls
is
a
human
rights
violation
and
since
the
outbreak
of
Covid-19
and
the
world
locking
down
to
live
within
four
walls,
emerging
data
and
reports
from
those
on
the
frontlines
have
shown
that
all
types
of
violence
against
women
and
girls,
particularly
domestic
violence,
has
only
intensified," she
said
in
a
statement.
Apoorva
Bakshi,
producer
of
W.O.M.B,
said
the
team
is
proud
to
be
the
opening
night
film
at
the
IFFM
2021
and
is
looking
forward
to
sharing
it
with
audiences
worldwide.
"This
documentary
not
only
presents
facts
but
also
highlights
possible
solutions
which
can
be
implemented
today,"
she
added.
The
physical
format
of
the
IFFM
will
run
from
August
12
to
20,
while
its
digital
edition
will
run
from
August
15
to
30
across
Australia.
In
2021,
the
IFFM
pays
tribute
to
not
only
the
best
of
Indian
cinema,
but
to
many
of
the
Covid-19
heroes,
offering
vital
community
support,
connection
and
hope
in
these
troubled
times,
said
festival
director
Mitu
Bhowmick
Lange.
"After
the
unprecedented
challenges
faced
over
the
last
18
months,
we
are
excited
to
bring
the
Indian
Film
Festival
of
Melbourne
back
to
the
big
screen,
while
our
digital
platform
will
ensure
viewers
around
Australia
can
access
the
Festival
too,"
Bhowmick
Lange
said.
"Film
Victoria
is
proud
to
be
the
principal
partner
of
the
Indian
Film
Festival
of
Melbourne.
For
over
a
decade,
this
incredible
celebration
of
Indian
film
and
culture
has
given
Victorians
the
opportunity
to
engage
with
diverse
and
compelling
screen
stories,
and
it's
wonderful
that
this
year
we
can
come
together
both
in
cinemas
across
Melbourne
and
online,"
added
Caroline
Pitcher,
Film
Victoria
CEO.
The
IFFM
celebrates
Indian
cinema
in
all
its
forms,
and
provides
an
excellent
opportunity
for
filmmakers
to
showcase
their
films
on
an
international
platform.