Realising the impact of digital long-form journalism, a band of journalists got together in 1997 and started Film Southasia (FSA), a biennial film festival, with the intention to popularise the documentary filmmaking genre and make FSA a platform for documentary filmmakers from South Asia to share their experiences and knowledge.

FSA '22 (from April 21-24) features 71 documentaries (nine of which are by Nepali filmmakers) from eight countries of South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka), five-panel discussions, which revolves around the films, gender, and caste issues, and an exhibition on sexual violence.

Mitu Varma, a former journalist with Himal Southasia who has been part of FSA since its inception, is FSA's festival director and oversees FSA '22. Laxmi Murthy, director of the Hri Institute for South Asian Research and Exchange, is another integral member of the organising committee.

The Post’s Pinki Sris Rana sat with Varma and Murthy to discuss FSA’s journey, its achievement, and what the duo think of this year’s lineup.

The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Back in 1997, documentary filmmaking was not a very popular genre. At such a time, why did the team feel the need to start FSA and focus solely on documentaries?

Varma: Before starting FSA, we were all a bunch of passionate journalists working independently and for Himal Southasia, a magazine that covers the region’s politics and culture. FSA is actually the brainchild of Kanak Mani Dixit, the editor of Himal Southasia. We at FSA always believed in long-form journalism and were well aware of the impacts audiovisual journalism could have. Since we were all journalists, we saw FSA as an extended form of journalism, which is how FSA started.

When we were brainstorming on where to hold this festival, there were a lot of things to be considered. We needed a country that was accessible to filmmakers from South Asia. We also had to consider the region’s many complex geopolitical issues. Given all these factors, we decided to host the festival in Nepal, and the country is also economical for filmmakers to travel to.

Why are the films strictly from the countries belonging to South Asia?

Varma: If you look at international film festivals, there are only very few stories from our region. You also do not often get to meet South Asian filmmakers at these festivals because the travelling and lodging costs to attend these festivals are too high for most filmmakers from our region. These are shared experiences of the filmmakers who hail from this region. So we decided to start FSA to provide a much-needed platform for filmmakers from the region to discuss issues in this region and form a cultural space for the filmmakers. The eight countries we focus on also share a similar culture and that has abided us together. These are the reasons why we decided to stick to eight countries in South Asia.

How do you think has FSA adapted to all the changes that documentary filmmaking as a medium has undergone in the last few years?

Varma: Filmmakers are experimenting a lot with the genre, and that is why if you look at FSA '22, you will see docu-fiction (a narrative style that has a combination of documentary and fiction) films that depict a true story but uses fiction creatively to enhance the depiction. We are experimenting with formats which is why we also have an exhibition titled ‘Create, Collaborate, Catalyse: Reflections on Sexual Violence in South Asia’.

In these 25 years, do you think FSA has been able to make the kind of impact the founding team had envisioned?

Varma: I believe so. We have been able to build this platform where dedicated documentary filmmakers from eight different countries can come and share their experiences and knowledge with one another. And I believe we have successfully sustained the interest of audiences in long-form documentaries that highlight the range of issues that the region faces.

For the first time in FSA’s history, it has mentored and supported six filmmakers and six researchers on their projects. What was the reason behind doing so?

Murthy: In one of the research conducted by one of the six researchers, it showed that the artist always showed women half-naked to represent rape victims. For years, we have been critiquing imagery and visuals that have redundantly depicted sexual violence. But with this programme, we wanted to communicate what we wanted was different from what was already being done. The excerpts of the research and the films will also be exhibited at FSA.

What are you most excited about FSA 2022?

Varma: We have this amazing lineup of documentaries that is as diverse as South Asia. We have films that delve into subject matters like gender, identity, and the experiences of Dalits and those from indigenous and minority communities. That said, we also have fun films the audience can sit back and enjoy.

Murthy: To add to that, we also have six panel discussions where we will talk about 25 years of journey as FSA, caste and gender issues, social movements, curation, and exile experiences. Also, the majority of the filmmakers whose films are being screened at the festival are present with us, thus allowing them to share their views and experiences of making the films.

(FSA is taking place from April 21-24. For schedule and location details, please visit FSA’s official website.)