The confronting, heart-wrenching and heart-warming documentary, W.O.M.B (Women Of My Billion), will kickstart the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

Documentary feature films are not just powerful sources of knowledge and information that help sharpen our brains and bring conversation fodder to the table with family and friends, but are also creative tools that help introduce us to new worlds and lifestyles which otherwise we’d probably have limited exposure to, hence enriching us with a greater perspective outside of our personal experiences.

The path-breaking docu-film, W.O.M.B is officially set to lead at the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne (IFFM), being chosen as the opening night film this year and will be screened on August 12. Following the incredible success of last year’s virtual film festival, IFFM this year will take place both physically and virtually with the physical festival running from August 12-20 while its digital edition will be screened from August 15-30.

W.O.M.B will screen physically from the premiere night of the IFFM on August 12. The documentary has been the toast of the international film festival circuit, being the opening night film at the London Indian Film Festival last month.

The documentary feature film is an extraordinary real-life story tailored by director Ajitesh Sharma. It documents the monumental journey of a young woman named Srishti Bakshi who walks almost 4,000 km over 240 days, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, along the way meeting and learning first hand about the experiences of many women from all corners of India. It is a poignant and heartwarming documentary exploring the social and political issues faced by women of today’s India. It is a unique testament to seemingly insurmountable challenges in these unprecedented times and the everyday sheroes who are battling to overcome.

“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the world locking down to live within four walls, emerging data and reports from those on the frontlines have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, have only intensified. In this documentary, we have celebrated ordinary women who’ve shown extraordinary courage to rise above their limitations and challenge deeply entrenched gender norms. We did this to unite the majority because what we discovered was that gender-based violence is a crime perpetrated by the minority but perpetuated by the silence of the majority,” shares Srishti

IFFM, being the largest film festival of its kind in the Southern hemisphere that celebrates Indian cinema in all its forms, provides an excellent opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their films on an international platform.