From a lost watch to plastic-choked oceans, film festival to put environment in focus

In Bengaluru, an HMT Vijay watch from 1978, once owned by a young man, was accidentally flushed down a toilet by a woman. The watch had been a cherished item for his Class X exams. Decades later, the watch finds its way to the son of the woman who flushed it. In the short film Down The Drain, the woman's struggle to retrieve the watch takes viewers on a journey through Bengaluru's sewage system, shedding light on the city's underground network.

This humorous yet serious film will open the 19th edition of the Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival (KVIFF) in Pune on August 22. Other films showcased include This Mortal Plastik, which follows a mother's journey across oceans to understand the impact of single-use synthetics, and Would You Still Love Me If I Was a Frog, exploring the lives of three different species.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KVIFF is returning to an in-person format, aiming to create environmental awareness and inspire action through storytelling and discussions. The festival will also engage students from various schools with short films, discussions, and a theme-based workshop. The event will feature traditional folk dance, a student skit, and a thought-provoking film on AI and tribal culture, marking a return to a shared experience of watching films together.