Wanakam Cinema Club Presents: Auto Queens (ஆட்டோ குயின்ஸ்)

​Screening, Producer Intro & Live Q&A with Mohana and Leela Rani

​What an extraordinary evening to bring to Wanakam! With a q&a with the protagonists themselves alongside one of the film's producers is precisely the kind of rich, unscripted community gathering that makes our space in Amsterdam Oost feel alive.

​About the Evening

​In Chennai, three-wheeled autorickshaws are everywhere, yet fewer than 0.5% of the city’s 80,000 autos are driven by women. Auto Queens (30 mins, Tamil with English subtitles) isn't a preachy film about "empowerment" from a distance; it's a vibrant, grounded look at what it takes to claim public space, earn a living, and build solidarity on your own terms.

​The documentary follows Mohana, the visionary president of Tamil Nadu's first women-led auto-rickshaw union (Veerapengal Munnetra Sangam), and Leela Rani, a fellow driver and union treasurer whose sharp humor and fiery spirit balance Mohana's quiet resolve. Directed by Tamil cinematographer and filmmaker Sraiyanti, the film captures the real, messy, joyful grit of female friendship operating at the front lines of an urban mobility revolution.

​       🛺 PROGRAMME FLOW 🛺
   ---------------------------------
   • Welcome Chai & Street Food Snacks
   • Producer Introduction
   • Screening: Auto Queens (30 mins)
   • Live Q&A with Mohana & Leela Rani
   • Open Lounge, Music & Conversation

​Curator’s Note

​"There is something profoundly political yet deeply intimate about two working-class women riding three-wheelers through Chennai, cracking jokes while carving out room in a male-dominated workforce. Bringing Mohana and Leela Rani directly into conversation with our Amsterdam diaspora and local film community bridges two worlds through shared stories of labor, laughter, and belonging."

​Event Announcement & Curation Copy

​Here is copy you can use for posters, newsletters, or social media to introduce the event:

​Title: Claiming the Streets: Auto Queens + In-Person Q&A

​Copy:

​Join us at Wanakam for an unforgettable film night celebrating sisterhood, street mobility, and southern grit.

​We’re screening Auto Queens, an official selection at IDFA and True/False Film Fest, directed by Sraiyanti. The 30-minute documentary takes us straight to the vibrant, chaotic roads of Chennai to meet the women of the Veerapengal Munnetra Sangam—Tamil Nadu’s first women-led auto-rickshaw union.

​Rather than flattening their lives into clichés, Auto Queens gives us the full picture: the humor, the friction, the ordinary labor, and the deep friendship between union leaders Mohana and Leela Rani as they navigate systemic barriers one ride at a time.

​Special Guests:

• ​Opening Remarks: Introduced by one of the film's producers.

• ​Live Q&A: An intimate, post-screening conversation directly with protagonists Mohana and Leela Rani.

​Come early for hot chai, stay late for the conversation. Let's make some noise for the royals of the road!

​Would you like me to draft specific social media captions (Instagram/LinkedIn), create a custom Chennai-inspired street food menu pairing for the night, or outline specific Q&A discussion prompts for the host?