Terribly Serious Films Presents Mathamma the Mother Goddess
June 15, 2006
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Terribly Serious Films Presents ‘Mathamma the Mother Goddess’
Filmmaker Parthiban Shanmugam makes short film on the child prostitution of India.
Stuttgart, Germany June 15, 2006 — Terribly Serious Films and Director Parthiban Shanmugam present an astounding film on the religious child prostitution of India called “Mathamma The Mother Goddess.” The lone Indian American entry into the Bollywood & Beyond International Film Festival at Stuttgart, Germany. The festival takes places from 12 to 16 July 2006. Mathamma competes with India’s Mega super star Amithab Bachan staring Families - Ties of Blood, India’s first animation film Hanuman, Southern Indian super star Kamalhasan’s Vetaiyadu Villaiyadu, Natumjaanonahum, Parineeta, The Monk and several other box office hit films from India.
Mathamma was shot in Andra Pradesh, a Southern Indian State in March 2005. While the film unfolds in simple and narrative, complex themes concerning Caste, Religion and age old cruel practice in Southern India presented through the experiences of one victimized family, the film takes the viewer through a real-life tale of a tradition that beckons the destruction of humanity’s conscience.
While the style of film is magical realism, the story is based on the real life experience of one village woman and the realism will emphasize the power of real life experience. Since it follows the life of Meena a village woman, the magical realism style of the film with the saturated colors reflects the sun soaked, dry and rundown village surrounded by hills. While the environment and the characters of the story are brought to life with a painstaking attention to realistic detail, the stunning visuals of the film only serve to emphasize the beauty of the environment and the horror in the life of the people who inhabit it.
The sound also reflects the slow and fast paced environment of village and bustling township life, mixing in real location sounds of people and their activity. A choral element representing Meena’s life and love of her family and daughter, juxtaposes with the often grim reality of life–that religion and its wrong interpretations for some one’s convenience affects the society at large. The music is a beautiful mix of the Southern Indian culture originating from traditional Andra Pradesh’s village music.
Director Parthiban Shanmugam learnt about the controversial religious practice from Dr. Kasthuri Kantharaj M.D., a pioneer in the field of AIDS research, treatment and prevention in India. “The concerns of the female children need to be addressed. Due to the secret practice amongst Hindu sects, the health of all the involved people innocent female children is at great risk — we need to strive to create awareness about inhuman practice and AIDS”, said Parthiban, explaining the major motivations behind making of this film.
Parthiban added that the unique and unfamiliar practice from the Hindu tradition openly sanctions the death sentence to the female children, But not all is lost, adds Parthiban. Although the federal government does not provide any kind of welfare schemes or assistance to former Mathamma the now the state government provides some kind of assistance through NGO.
The film exposes the hypocrisy surrounding this ancient practice and boldly conveys the need of the banning of such practice, de-alienation and respect in the human society.
http://www.mathamma.com
This press release distributed by Terribly Serious Films.