Mangaluru: Mother Teresa International Film Festival(MTIFF) 2016, a four day event was inaugurated at St. Agnes Special School here on September 19. Mother Teresa International Film Festival(MTIFF) 2016 will be held at St. Agnes special School, St. Ann’s High School, CM hall St. Joseph’s Seminar, St. Agnes college, Roshni Nilaya and Padua College till September 21.
The event is being organized by the World Catholic Association for Communication’s Indian Chapter in collaboration with Canara Communication Centre of the Diocese of Mangalore, Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education and Missionary of Charity Sisters Mangalore.
The MTIFF 2016 celebrates the canonization of Mother Teresa. Documentaries and short films showcasing the life of Mother Teresa of Kolkata will be screened at the event.
Special Guest on the occasion, Gautham Lewis, photographer, film maker, musician and pilot spoke briefly about Mother Teresa. He said, “I have a responsibility to not waste or abuse my second chance in life. Everything I do, there is a human philanthropic approach to it. We are only limited to our own selfs. In India, if you have a disability you are 5 times more likely to be poorer. Although there is a Persons With Disability Act, there is a slight difference between what the paper says and what really happens on the street. So I would like to contribute to the ongoing acceptance with people with disabilities.”
He added that Mother Teresa told him before he left to London with his adopted parents that ‘Nothing is difficult, its just different, if you cant find anyone to help you achieve what you want to do, do it alone and don’t be afraid of the unknown.’ He took it literally and has contributed to his success in his fields. He also said. “I don’t have a disability, I have a brain. Its not me that makes me disabled but society and the wider environment that makes me disabled.”
He futher added, “In my life I have had three mothers, that is my birth mother, Mother Teresa and Patricia, the woman who adopted me.” Affected by polio at 18 months of age, he arrived with Mother Teresa when he was only 3 years old. He was adopted by Patricia Lewis who met him in Kolkata when she was pursuing Ph.D and has never looked back since then. Today he is a photographer, film maker and a pilot.
Fr. Richard D’souza, director of Canara Communications center, Fr Victor Vijay Lobo, Director of Sandesha, Special Guest Gautham Lweis, Sister Shruthi, Principal of St Agnes, and M Benedicta representive from Mother Teressa convent were present at the event.
Sr Shruthi welcomed the gathering. Sr Philomena rendered vote of thanks.
