Mother Teresa Film Fest in City- Sept 20-21
Mangaluru: Addressing the media personnel during the press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Fr Victor Vijay Lobo-Director of Sandesha-Mangaluru said, “The Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa, who passed away in 1997 after serving thousands of diseased/sick and destitute on the streets of Kolkata for 45 years, then known as a living Saint, now declared Saint by Pope Francis in the Vatican City on 4 September 2016, where lakhs of pilgrims, from different parts of the world including a delegation from India, witnessed the ceremony. To mark the canonization of Mother Teresa, The Mother Teresa International Film Festival (MTIFF) started from Kolkata where Mother Teresa spent most of her life on August 26, 2016, will be travelling all over the world for the next six months screening around 20 movies on the life of Mother Theresa. It should be noted that she is the only person on whose life 20 movies are made all over the world so far.”
Fr Richard D’Souza- Director of Canara Communication Centre of Mangaluru Diocese said, “To pay homage to St Mother Teresa of Kolkata for her four visits to Mangaluru in the past and to celebrate her Sainthood, a film festival will be organised in Mangaluru from 20 to 21 September 2016 at different venues in the city by the World Catholic Association for Communication’s India chapter (SIGNIS) in collaboration with Canara Communication Centre of the diocese of Mangalore, Sandesha, Regional Communication Centre Karnataka Region and Missionary of Charity sisters – Mangaluru. The movies on the life of Mother Teresa will be screened on both the days”.
“Gautam Lewis, aged 39, a young polio-afflicted child from Kolkata rescued by Mother Teresa, later adopted by a British nuclear physicist and now not only a Pilot but runs a training school for the disabled people to be pilots in London, will be the special guest and will share his testimony during the shows. On Monday, Sept. 19th at 9:30 am, there will be an interaction with Gautham Lewis at the St Agnes Special School – Bendur”, added Fr D’Souza.
Following is the schedule of the Film Festival:
20th September, Jeppu Seminary – CM Hall:
- 9:00am – Mother and Me 59 min; A call within a call 30 min – Interaction with Gautam Lewis
- 11.00am – The living legend 28min; Nirmal Hriday 59 min
- 1.00pm – Mother Teresa The legacy 80min; Love till hurts 20 min
- 3.00pm – In the name of Gods Poor – 89 min
- 5.30pm – Mother Teresa – Petrie – 80 min – Interaction with Gautam Lewis
21st September at Padua College Hall:
- 9.00am – Mother and Me 59 min; A call within a call 30 min – Interaction with Gautam Lewis
- 11.30am – Mother Teresa The legacy 80min; Love till hurts 20 min
- 1.30pm – The living legend 28min; Nirmal Hriday 59 min
- 4.00pm – The Letters – 89 min
There will also be screening of Mother Teresa films exclusively for the students at St Ann’s High school, Roshini Nilaya, and St Agnes College.
For more details contact: Fr Richard D’Souza- 8105758235; Fr Victor Vijay Lobo : 9880677516
About Gautam Lewis: – A Music and Special Events Organizer, Photographer and Video Producer
Born in 1977 in Kolkata, India, Gautam Lewis has weathered and survived more storms than most. Abandoned at three years old after contracting polio he was taken to Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity where he stayed for two years before having a further two years of operations at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children (RCFC) just outside the city. There he met Dr Patricia Lewis, a dual national (UK/Ireland) nuclear physicist, who was working at RCFC for a year.
Business Studies at the Southampton Institute was followed by the opening of Level One, a fashionable night club in Southampton’s Ocean Village. During this period Gautam became heavily involved in the music side of the business, a factor that would influence his subsequent work in the music industry. On returning to London at the age of 21, the next few years saw Gautam with a record in one hand and a camera in the other; spinning tunes at London clubs while continuing his love of photography.
In 2001 Gautam joined the quirky and vibrant Ricochet (artist management) to look after artists that included Keith Flint (Prodigy) and Incognito. This evolved into a three-year period at Creation Management, another young company set-up by Stephen King and the iconic Alan McGee (the driving force behind Oasis). Creation became highly successful and the hands on the team were able to experience the roller-coaster ‘bona fide’ rock-and-roll lifestyle. Gautam undertook the full management of bands including The Libertines, The Hives, D4 and The Kills. As well as sorting out tours, recordings and contracts, extra-curricular activities such as the attempted drug rehabilitation of the Libertine’s front man Pete Doherty also came with the job.
Gautam founded Freedom in the Air (FITA) in October 2007 after qualifying as a pilot. FITA is a not-for-profit organisation that teaches other people with disabilities to become pilots. It is a privilege for him to be able to introduce a disabled person to the freedom of flight and the boundless possibilities it offers up. After learning about the commitment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a partnership of UNICEF, the World Health Organization, Rotary International and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Gautam was inspired to help the campaign to eradicate the disease in India and worldwide forever. As brand Ambassador, Gautam has been working in India to help eradicate polio. Gautam has a deep understanding of how important voluntary organizations are in the world today.
During 2008 and 2009, Gautam paid homage to his past by holding “Full Circle”. An exhibition of thought provoking photographs that marked GPEI final stand against polio that attracted widespread attention at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London and The Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland. The exhibition completed the tour in December 2009 with a high-profile show at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshasal, Kolkata. Gautam filmed a TV documentary during his visit to India for ‘Witness’, a current affairs series with leading journalist Rageh Omar for Al Jazeera English.
Following the exhibition in London, Gautam received ‘Asian Who’s Who’ Leadership in Charity Award 2008. Gautam has had great opportunities in his life. He believes that his calling is to help others less fortunate and celebrate in the spirit that the Sky’s the limit.