•  What does the Cybermohalla Project do? Why is it called 'Cybermohalla'?

The Cybermohalla project generates a long term creative and interpretative context for digital reflection on the urban condition through a sustained engagement with working class young people associated with media labs seeded by Sarai in collaboration with an NGO – 'Ankur'. Ankur has a history of doing pioneering work in the area of alternative pedagogy. The labs are equipped with free software enabled computers and situated in underserved areas of Delhi.

At present there are labs in LNJP Basti (near Ajmeri Gate), Dakshin Puri Resettlement Colony, and Nangla Machi (west bank of the Yamuna).There is also a Cybermohalla R&D Media Lab at the Ankur office.

Cybermohalla conflates the communicative density associated with the word 'cyber' with the physical realities of neighbourhoods ('mohallas' in Hindustani) to suggest a set of locations where people create interfaces that reflect the realities of their environments. The practitioners associated with the Cyber - Mohalla (Cyber-Neighbourhood) project - create digital works, animations and installation, write texts, publish wall magazines and broadsheets, and edit books and maintain discussion lists and blogs - in partnership with practitioners and interlocutors in Sarai.

All the materials of the Cybermohalla Project are available online and in the public domain the Cybermohalla Section of the Sarai Website. To know more about the Cybermohalla Project at Sarai, write with specific queries to cybermohalla@sarai.net

• Can I access the Sarai Archive? What kinds of materials are available?

The Archive is a crucial part of Sarai’s efforts to engage with issues of research and documentation, with a view to rendering material into the public domain. Our holdings relate to media practices and visual cultures. A lot of material for the Archive emerges from research both from within Sarai as well as the Independent Fellowship programme. We also accept contributions from the public.

The Archive can be accessed on the premises after making an appointment. Our holdings are currently under the process of digitisation and will be available online in the near future. For detailed information on our holdings, visit the Archive section of our website.

• What is the schedule of film screenings at Sarai?

Sarai has an active film screening and veiwing culture. Screenings are usually at 4:30 P.M. on Fridays. Screenings are both curated as a series, as well as single shows. The screenings are free and open to the public, and our screening space can accommodate about 70 people. If you would like to know in advance with regard to the films being screened, do subscribe to the Sarai newsletter, or visit the calendar on our website.

Often, independent filmmakers are present at the screenings of their films. Sarai encourages the audience to participate in discussions after the screenings. These discussions, held in the screening space as well as the Sarai café, generate lively debate.

• What kinds of films are shown at Sarai?

We try to be as eclectic as possible in our screenings, and present as broad a spectrum of films as possible. We have had screenings of classics from the world cinema repertoire (Tarkovsky, Kieslowski, Ozu, Bergman, Ray, Ghatak), contemporary international cinema (new films from Iran, Korea, Hong Kong), independent documentaries (films by Sanjay Kak, Amar Kanwar, Michael Moore), student films (selections of films produced at MCRC, JMI) curated selections around themes and genres (Anxiety, Gangsters, Anime) and screenings curated by fans around their favourite stars (Amitabh Bacchan, Govinda).

Screenings are curated and introduced, and followed by a discussion. Sometimes filmmakers, film scholars and practitioners are also invited to respond the films.

•  Will Sarai screen my film/let me curate a selection of films?

If you have made a film and would like to screen it, we will be very glad to help. We can provide you with screening space, a projector and screen. We would appreciate your initiating a discussion with the audience after the film. If a certain aspect of cinema intrigues you and you would like to curate a series, Sarai will be glad to host it. You may use our archives, or bring your own selection. A curated series will be incomplete without discussions around the film, and you may like to make introductory remarks for the films as well. Please allow for the fact that schedules have to be made far in advance of the actual screening. For more information, write to screenings@sarai.net