August 23, 2011: Patna, the capital town of India’s Bihar sate, will host
the Mother Teresa International Film Festival (MTIFF) from Sep 2-5, marking the close
of the birth centenary celebrations of the “saint of the gutters.” The films based
on Blessed Teresa of Kolkata will be screened at more than seven locations throughout
the city in a joint initiative by SIGNIS and AASRA, a local voluntary organization. “The
film festival is placed in the larger context of the close of the birth centenary
Year of Mother Teresa and is a citizen’s initiative to celebrate Mother Teresa,” said
Frank Krishner, festival Director and AASRA Charitable Trust Managing Trustee. “It’s
about bringing the message of Mother Teresa to the young people who may have never
heard about her. So the idea was to let everybody join hands and use available resources
to help people access the films,” he said. The films include features, animation
and short documentaries from Italy, USA, India, France and other places. The Government
College of Arts and Crafts, Patna Women’s College, Holy Family Hospital, and six other
schools will screen the films to over 10,000 potential viewers. Christopher Bachmann,
secretary of Young Men’s Christian Association, Patna, hoped the festival and the
life of Mother Teresa would inspire youngsters to be more considerate and caring. MTIFF
2011 is being held for the first time in Patna and has a special relevance as Mother
Teresa received her medical training in 1948 in the city to equip herself to serve
the poor and destitute. The festival has travelled to about 50 destinations in
India from Kolkata. It has been showcased in countries, including Japan, South Korea,
Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Myanmar.