Students and faculty members of Notre Dame Academy in Patna watch a movie made on the life of Mother Teresa at the institution’s auditorium on Friday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, Sept. 2: The life and work of Mother Teresa reached the state capital today with the three-day-long Mother Teresa International Film Festival, which is in its final leg.

Twelve films, including features, animations and short documentaries, that are part of the Mother’s birth centenary celebrations will be screened at various venues. The lucky ones today were Notre Dame Academy, College of Arts and Crafts and Patna Women’s College.

Notre Dame Academy screened three films for its students. The first feature film made on Mother Teresa and approved by her, Mother Teresa-In the Name of God’s Poor, with Charlie Chaplin’s youngest daughter Geraldine Chaplin starring as the Mother was one of them. The remaining two included an animated movie on the Mother’s life, The Fifth Word, and the first Hindi documentary made on Mother Teresa, Manavta ki Murti.

On Mother Teresa-In the Name of God’s Poor, Class XI student of Notre Dame Academy Simran said: “The film really touched my heart as the first scene showed Geraldine (in the role of Mother Teresa) helping a poor elderly woman in need of treatment. The other scenes, including when Mother Teresa comforts a baby while the baby’s mother accuses her of trying to steal her child, also moved me.”

Ten-year-old Varsha Rajlakshmi, who saw The Fifth Word, said: “Before this movie, I had very little knowledge about Mother. However, after watching the film I can understand why she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.”

The students of Julie School, which is run by Notre Dame Academy’s charitable trust, were also treated to the screening of Manavta ki Murti.

Class VI student of Julie School, Preeti Anil, hardly knew anything about Mother Teresa’s life. She said: “It seems Mother was a noble person. I am really looking forward to see the movie.”

The festival in the state capital is a joint initiative of local voluntary organisation AASRA Charitable Trust and licence holder and organiser of the film festival, Signis Bengal. This festival that started from Calcutta in August last year has travelled to 50 other locations, including Singapore, Macau, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan, South Korea and Japan.

Former national president of Signis Bengal Father C.M. Paul said: “When we started this festival, I never thought that it would receive such a huge response. I am happy that it did strike a chord with the people at different festival venues.”