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The small yet developed town of Jadugoda (in Bihar) is known for being the only underground uranium minefield of India. Yet, even as the resource plays an important role in the country's nuclear development, the town's Adivasi population has been suffering the repercussions of radioactive waste being dumped in their rice fields for the last 30 years. As National Award-winning documentary filmmaker Sriprakash Prakash explores genetic mutations and slow deaths in the community through his nine-minute film, Jadugoda: The Black Magic, he has become one of the few Indian filmmakers to touch the nuclear topic. Now, Prakash will represent India on an international platform that focuses on similar subjects from across the world — the Travelling Uranium Film Festival that reached Delhi on January 4. It will also travel to Shillong, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Thrissur.

An offshoot of the annual International Uranium Film Festival that started in 2011 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the travelling festival has already travelled to Lisbon and Berlin and will later go to New York. The Indian line-up of 32 films deals with issues such as uranium mining, nuclear power plants, atomic bombs, and even Chernobyl and Fukushima.

The three-day Indian leg of the festival will be coordinated by Prakash, who has showcased his films at two previous editions as well. There are, however, only two Indian entries — the other one being Toxic Neglect (also on Jadugoda) by Moushumi Basu. "There are lots of films based on environment but this issue is lesser known. We want more filmmakers — especially the young ones — to come, see and contribute," says Prakash.

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