Nil Battey Sannata (The New Classmate) (Discussion following movie with film’s director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Sashwatti Banjaree, Founder and Director Humanitus)

Group Submission Type: Special Session

Description of Session

Following the screening of the movie on Tuesday, April 19, 8pm-9:40pm CDT we will host a discussion with the film’s director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Sashwatti Banjaree, Founder and Director Humanitus from 9:40pm-10:10 pm CDT.

Frankly those without a dream are the ones who are really poor,” states Chanda, an extremely hard-working single mother who imagines a better life for her fourteen-year-old daughter, Apeksha (Apu). The New Classmate is a humorous, touching tale about Chanda and her fourteen year-old daughter, Apeksha (Apu). Chanda is a high-school drop-out, now working multiple low-paying jobs, who lives in the slums of Agra, India. Apu is a rebellious, unmotivated high-school student who has no hopes for her own future, beyond low-paying jobs like her mother. Apeksha is on the verge of failing her final exams and following her mother’s footsteps. Chanda, desperate to show her daughter a different path, enrolls in the same school and class as her daughter! This enrages Apu. Math is their biggest challenge. With the help of another classmate, Chanda begins to make sense of it. Director Tiwariin fuses the film with vibrant color, movement, personality, and fabulous music. Will Chanda’s unique efforts inspire her daughter to dream beyond what seems possible ?

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Jorge G Baxter, Universidad de Los Andes