The nervous bustle of energy and faces flushed with eager anticipation marked the first day at the She Creates workshops. Executed by MAM Movies, an NGO dedicated to using media towards social change, She Creates provides the girl children of Mumbai an opportunity to express their views through the potent medium of filmmaking. Twenty-five girls from a cross-section of society were picked to represent the voice of girl children all over the country who silently bear the burden of gender discrimination within their families and communities and who want things to change. As an associate sponsor, Verve is immensely proud to support these girls in this revolutionary endeavour and encourage their creative talents.

These past few weeks have been a gruelling but exciting time for these girls as they’ve spent their time learning new skills like scriptwriting, camera handling and making shot lists. Each group picked a theme close to their heart and experiences they might have personally gone through. Script topics ranged from sex-selective female infanticide to parents preventing the girl child from working to bride burning. A crash session on editing using Windows Movie Maker followed. Voiceovers and narrations dominated the discussions as the girls conceptualised the final pieces of their films and how they would all come together.

After some panic sessions and last minute shooting, final edits were done and the little masterpieces were ready. With a grand premiere on October 2, the girls exulted in their well deserved moments in the limelight.