Film producer, Anant Singh’s documentary, “Ahimsa-Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless” has won a top award at the New York Indian Film Festival.
The documentary took the Best Documentary Feature Award. Shot partially in South Africa, it explores the conscience of humanity as people globally grapple with intractable problems surrounding race (especially in light of the Black Lives Matter Movement), and as societies struggle to give the marginalised and under-served human dignity and restore fundamental human rights.
The film brings to the fore the impact of the Gandhian message of non-violence worldwide: how it inspired Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, Barack Obama and the Civil Rights Movement in the US; the Solidarity Movement in Poland as well as Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
It also features a song titled “Ahimsa” performed by U2 and Academy Award winner, AR Rahman, with lyrics written by Bono and AR Rahman.
Delighted with the win, Singh said that while Gandhi had a global legacy, South Africa had a special connection with his narrative.
"It was here, in South Africa, that he became sensitized to issues of human rights and equality. Gandhi’s influence will continue to inspire and motivate other leaders to make change, through non-violence, for peace,” he said.
Director Ramesh Sharma said: “We are honoured to receive the Best Documentary Feature Award.
“For us, the award affirms the importance of Gandhi’s teachings and his impact on freedom struggles around the world which we capture in the film.
“We are also delighted to be perpetuating Gandhi’s legacy through our film,” said Sharma.’’