Love Watching Offbeat Films And Documentaries? Join This Kolkata Collective

People’s Film Collective uses the medium of cinema and visual imagery to create awareness around social issues.

People’s Film Collective {PFC} was conceived in 2013 to prove that cinema is an artform for the people and by the people. They are an independent, autonomous, people-funded cultural-political collective. Since their inception, they have worked tirelessly to make sure quality regional and world cinema reaches everyone and not just people who can afford tickets to multiplexes.

The films and documentaries they generally screen are of the kind that people wouldn’t find in big theatres, so if you’re someone who perpetually hunts for lesser-known cinematic masterpieces and well-made documentaries , PFC is a boon. They do a lot more than screen films though. If you join up {as a volunteer}, you here’s what all you can be a part of: Monthly documentary screenings and conversations, wherein they screen one documentary in a small theatre in Kolkata and arrange for discussions afterwards for the public to contemplate and engage; Little Cinema Campaign which is curated especially for children and young adults, and Pratiroder Cinema {also called ‘Cinema of Resistance’}, an annual magazine that features excellent articles and contributions by some of the most renowned cinema and media experts. They also organise Kolkata People’s Film Festival – a three-day event which screens outstanding films and documentaries from all around the world. This is their annual flagship event that draws a huge crowd.

Their Traveling Cinema Campaign which involves the PFC team traveling from Kolkata to other parts of Bengal with a projector, a screen and their ideas, to expose people without access to these stirring videos. Just look at these photos of rapt kids in a village watching films on a makeshift screen. This is what you can a part of and help organise.

As the members say, “Just come for our screenings”. If you wish to become a volunteer in PFC {or as they call it, a general body member}, just approach any of the PFC members after a screening. You can also drop an e-mail at peoplesfilmcollective@gmail.com. All you need is a love for good cinema. When they say ‘it’s for the people, by the people’ – they mean literally that – they are not funded by any organisation or individual, but run solely on the funds donated by people, whatever amount they may feel like giving them. They have no entry fee is for screenings, and no passes are needed – all you need to do is just turn up.  Keep tabs on their Facebook page here.

The 5th Kolkata People’s Film Festival is coming up in January 2018 at Jogesh Mime Academy.