Vasakh film festival starts http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=108623 4/24/2008 LAHORE VASAKH Film Festival has begun, at two locations at the same time, Dorab Patel Hall at Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Formanite Christian College, with an objective of encouraging independent thought and sharing the larger South Asian experiences with Lahoris. 'The Sky Below', another documentary made by Sara Singh painted a contemporary portrait of India and Pakistan. In the film, Singh explored the lingering commonalities as well as the remaining possibilities for reconciliation based on the countries' interwoven histories, cultures and faiths. >From both Pakistan and India, the audiences heard first-person recollections from the time of partition as well as the views of former militants, politicians, royalty, ordinary citizens, historians and others in the documentary. The last documentary which displayed at HRCP was 'Taropa Bharr Laeay Langhar Da' made by Huma Safdar, which described how Ahmed Khan Kharal had risen up against the British Colonists, which led to a rebellion that lasted long after Delhi had fallen in 1857. Eventually, the ill-equipped rebels succumbed to the British Empire's war machine. The captured were executed or deported to Kalapani (Andaman Island) for life. This war was no where to be found in history books but the people of Sahiwal district had kept the memory alive in songs and dholay, which were still sung today. [snipped] ----- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar Nagpur, India