Virginia Film Festival

From ancestral clan songs, to 80s hip hop artists and local gospel tunes, ringtones are the digital linkages that bond individuals into a world of deep and enduring connection. In a world where keeping mobile phones close to the body is as similar to wearing clothing, phones have become an important and ubiquitous aspect of our everyday lives. Connections, intrusions, and demands brought by mobile phones uncover a whole range of new threats, from sorcerers to tele-scammers, in a remote aboriginal community in Northern Australia. A beautiful, funny, and surprisingly moving film, Ringtone offers glimpses into the lives of Yolngu Aboriginal families through their choice of ringtones. Discussion with Director Jennifer Deger and cast/crew members Enid Wunungmurra and Warren Gurruwiwi, and Joyce Chopra.

Fire in our Hearts: 2014. India/USA. 28 min. Director: Jayshree Janu Kharpade.

With mentorship from filmmaker Joyce Chopra, 15 year-old schoolgirl Jayshree Janu Kharpade made this autobiographical film about her family in India, who were bonded laborers. The film is a unique window into the lives of the “tribal” indigenous popluations of India, who have been forced to the very bottom of India’s poverty ladder. Jayshree and her classmates are now the lucky ones, as their parents struggle out of poverty in order to build a school and give them an education.

Supported by Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection