Meenakshi Shedde dons many hats- film critic, curator to festivals worldwide, journalist and writer on social issues. But

what stands out is her deep, passionate understanding of cinema. It is what probably keeps her verve intact, despite a day of watching movies back-to-back as the NETPAC jury member of IFFK 2015, as she speaks on how there is a need to promote good films.

“When Satyajit Ray passed away, thousands came to pay their respects. But when his last film Agantuk was screened, theatres ran half empty. India is a graveyard of good cinema,” she says.

Presence of film societies and festivals is critical in India, where Independent cinema struggles to find a space. “Film screenings at festivals should be followed by such an interaction where it could be explained why the film was good,” she says.

“What is needed is educating people about good cinema,” she says. The effort should be to bring about a scene in the country when good films among both commercial and Independent cinema should run in theatres.

Meenakshi contributes towards this in many ways. Her writings, for one. Then, as consultant on Indian films to festivals abroad, she tries to make the voice of Indian cinema in global forums. Also, as a resource person at workshops and institutes, she works with cineastes to help them hone skills to appreciate good cinema.

GoingBut in India, there is need for a more prominent space for

such films, she says. “Whenever we talk of world cinema, it is either Iranian or French, or Italian. I have never heard anyone talk of Indian films in this context,” she says. As a mentor at the young critics’ lab at Mumbai International Film Festival, she urged the participants to watch a range of Indian films to get across to them the idea of fine content.

That the new creed of film-makers are trying to tell stories differently offers a lot of hope, she says. There are directors like Anurag Kashyap and Neeraj Ghaywan who understand the need to make films with local flavour yet bearing a global appeal. This trend is slowly paying off. Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, the story of an epistolary relationship set in Mumbai between a crusty widower and a neglected house-wife, was an international box office hit. Masaan, setin downtown Varanasi, won applause in a premier festival like Cannes and within two months of it got metro releases in India.

“So glocal is the word,” she says. With her repertoire of information on the many layers of Indian cinema, a universal vision to match, and her efforts to get across good Indian cinema to foreign audience, Meenakshi her self fits into the ‘glocal’ milieu well.

Manasvi |

Indian Cinema

'Glocal’

With

Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan said that the

International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) should focus in promoting quality Malayalam cinema through the festival at the Open Forum on ‘20 years of IFFK’, held at Tagore theatre. International programmers and curators Alessandra Speciale, June Givanni and Rosa Carillo suggested measures for promoting Malayalam cinema in international film festival. According to Alessandra, the Chalachitra Academy and film societies of Kerala should send a package of Malayalam movies to international film festivals. “My country, Italy, is heading for the 26th edition of film festival. We have watched few Malayalam productions and we would happily accept your movies in packages for screening in our festival,” she said. “You can also try for foreign co-productions which would

help in networking and promoting the movies.” June from Guyana said that the Indian diaspora could be tapped for popularising Malayalam cinema internationally. “Indians in general and Keralites in particular are based in every corner of the world. Even Africa has a large Kerala-origin community. The academy should conduct film festivals in these regions. Even a story on their

perspective will also gain accolades internationally,” said June, who has been the curator for African and Latin American films at IFFK. Also present at the programme were Kerala Chalachitra Academy chairman T Rajeevnath, and film personalities K R Mohanan and Beena Paul. Noted journalist M G Radhakrishnan moderated the session.

Sheds Light On Ways To Promote Malayalam Cinema

Open

For

um

20th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala celebrated the 76th birthday of iconic Iranian filmmaker

Dariush Mehrjui at Tagore Theatre, yesterday. Mehrjui, following the celebrations, said that he is much excited to be part of the festival in Kerala. “IFFK has always maintained the standard to screen quality movies,” he said.

A birthday cake was cut in the presence of his spouse Vahideh Mohammadifar and their daughter apart from Kerala Chalalchitra Academy, chairman T Rajeev Nath and other guests. Mehrjui will be honoured with Life Time Achievement Award on the closing ceremony. His six films are being screened at the festival as part of this.

IFFK Celebrates Mehrjui’s Birthday

Debutant director Amartya Bhattacharyya and award-winning director Lingavedaru B S suggested that there were

no curbs on artistic tolerance and felt that restrictions might in fact, be a good thing, in ‘Meet the Director’ programme. Also present were veteran Malayalam industry director Harikumar R and Bangladeshi director Abu Shahed Emon. Odisha director Bhattacharyya, said that he liked restrictions. Harikumar, director of Kattum Mazhayum averred: “In films, our greatest limiters are our censors.” Kannada director Lingavedaru’s film I Am Not He... She is about transgenders, and felt that “we need to have some boundaries.... we live in a very tolerant country”.Also present at the programme was popular actor Unni Mukundan, who has acted in Kattum Mazhayum.

Restrictions Are Not A Bad Thing: Amartya Bhattacharya

MEE

T TH

E DI

RECT

OR

2

As it is made by the eminent ones who are eligible to announce the awards

in the iffk, the package Jury Films would garner huge audience appeal this time also. The films that will endorse to the directorial talents of these masters will be an auspicious treat to the film lovers in IFFK 2015. The three films lined up in this category are Garato, Ezra, Ajeyo which are the windows to the filmic craftsmanship of the eminent directors Julio Bressane, Newton I Aduaka, Jahnu Barua.

Garato, directed by Julio Bressane, is based on the short story The Disinterested Killer Bill Harrigan written by Jorge Louis. “It is a film that has at its core a mischievous insurgent sexual energy that bristles and sparks relentlessly poetic hybris. Those who are not familiar with Bressane’s work may be puzzled by the minimalistic approach and its reiterative patterns, but it is obvious that Garoto is just a different kind of educaçao sentimental” says Giona M Nazzaro a

film critic and journalist. The film follows a young couple who find themselves in an enchanted place where they experience an amorous and spiritual adventure. Being the chief jury of 20th IFFK, Julio Bresane Granto will get due attention in this edition.

Newton I Aduaka’s Ezra is a factional tale inspired by the Sierra Leonan conflict. It has won numerous Grand Jury Prizes in different film festivals like Durban International film festival, Amiens international film festival etc. Ezra is the first film which gives an African perspective on the disturbing phenomenon of abducting children for the civil wars. It leaves its viewer in a very different place and it offers no big resolutions or pre-packaged emotions. The ending is realistic and simple in its attempts to tell a truth. Nigerian director Newton I Aduaka’s film has its own raft of problems, which eventually conspire to drain its relevant, pressing story about children being kidnapped and turned into

soldiers by murde rous guerrilla batta lions of coherence and intensity. An England - based, Nigerian born film maker, winner of Best Director at the Pan African Film Festival, portrayed the African deve lopment through

his life. Ajeyo, directed by Jahnu Barua is

a sophisticated independence story in India during the period of Mahatma Gandhi. Honest and aggressive to the core the central character Gojen Keot

is his own way to participate in the freedom movement and in the process started dreaming of a heaven like country that India would become after the independence. Throughout the film the director truly depicts the Hindu Muslim conflict before the partition of India, dashed hopes after independence and the courage of women on an enthralling level. “It deals with social issues that are still relevant to our youth”, says Barua the veteran director, who is also one among the juries in IFFK. His film is a cinematic adaptation of the Sahithya academy Award winning Assamees novel Ashirbador Rong, written by Arun Sharma.

Amala T Chacko |

Jury

09th December 20153

Yesterday some of the most eminent

filmmakers from the country like Adoor

Gopalakrishnan, Girish Kasaravally, MS Sathyu, KR Mohanan, Rajiv Nath etc declared their solidarity with the students at FTII, who have been forced to make a strategic retreat from their strike, but are continuing their struggle through various other means. All the filmmakers and programmers who participated in the discussion emphasized the need to protect the professional autonomy of public institutions.

The most important and significant aspect of the FTII struggle has been the pan-Indian solidarity and support that it was able to garner; filmmakers,

writers, film lovers and intellectuals from all over the country supported their struggle and attempted to bring about a resolution. Though their efforts have not yet succeeded, the struggle has succeeded in raising a very crucial issue at the national level – the autonomy and freedom of public cultural and academic institutions. That students were at the forefront of this, and their conviction about the need to connect with other similar institutions and seek support of the intelligentsia at large are very positive signals. Their mode of protest, in a way, indicate the political potential and energy of new media generation, who are usually blamed for being apolitical and careerist.

That IFFK could offer a platform

to voice such concerns is also very significant especially when one compares it with the IFFI where even peaceful and harmless declarations of solidarity - like wearing badges and T shirts in support of the Strike – were prevented forcefully. IFFK has always remained to be an open space for debates and arguments, which is what makes it different from other festivals. When everything around us is being privatized, corporatized and asked to become financially viable, we need to defend, nurture and develop public spaces and venues like IFFK, where one can express voices of dissent and difference.

Let us keep the spirit of freedom and democracy alive..l.

venkitycs@gmail.com

IFFK And The Spirit Of ProtestCS Venkiteswaran |

Pradip Biswas |

Guetamalan films are a rare species

in International Film Festivals of India. Thanks to 20th edition of IFFK, we are coaxed into one film from Guetamala called Volcano directed by Jayro Bustamante. The film is of 90 minute duration and is a joint production. The film won the Silver Bear at Berlin. Besides, the film is said to have travelled to Cannes and Montreal and shown outside the main competition.

Jayro Bustamante looks determined to use a minimal plot in the back-drop of rugged mountainous region of Guetamala. The film unfolds only four main characters to structure the dramatic tension with a kind of catharsis. While dealing with Maria, the girl in the

film, her lover Pepe, her parents and the chosen man Ignacio, the film leaps into domestic conflict due to clandestine relationship with Pepe, a teenaged guy who tucks Maria into a sexual caper, making Maria pregnant. Crisis triggers off febrile tension as her marriage is almost fixed with Ignacio.

The dramatic peripetia that is built up by the director to salvage the conflicting crisis at the social as well as domestic front looks stilted as no sensible handling of the motif is evident. Only febrile tension is found active to duck-shove Ignacio, who is kept of the affair in the dark. So the frightened family takes all efforts, often elusive, to move towards an abortive solution of Maria, losing her child in birth. The coda part only

Volcano: Guetamalan Film Flutters To Take Off

highlights the neurosis of Maria and the rest seems to have lost the edge of the film, a viable point in Guetamalan perspective.

It should be mentioned Guatemala was under military suppression for decades sparking off gray, grimy and restricted life for the Guetamalan society and its hard pressed agrarian people. But unfortunately, the director, probably being unaware of Guetamalan past history, anchors her movement on frail premises. Much of its content falls into ellipses, offering viewers no provocation and cinematic insight.

As a result, the film Volcano fails to erupt to our cinematic expectation and ends with a whimper. Repressed Guetamalan reality is thrown into the fore-wind and we come out with a nihilism.

4

The Pear Trea (Dir: Dariush Mehrjui) will be screened today in Nila at 11.45am instead of Orange Suit

Schedule Change

PRESS MEET12PM | Tagore Premises

MEET THE DIRECTOR3 PM | Tagore Premises

OPEN FORUM5 PM | Tagore Premises

Theyyam - Folklore Academy 6.30 PM | Tagore PremisesBy Nandhakumar Karivelloor and Party

Jugalbandi 6.30 PM | Bharath Bhavan

EVEN

TS T

ODAY

SEMINAR - Kerala Sahitya Academy

4 PM | Executive Lounge, Mascot HotelFilm & Literature In Conversation withMr. Dariush Mehrjui by Mr. Suresh Chabria5 PM | Tagore Theatre

Ajay Saga

Entries are invited from students for ‘Filca Campus Film Festival-2016’ which will be held on 1st and 2nd March, 2016. There will be two categories – Fiction and Non-Fiction. First prize will be awarded Rs. 7,500/- and second prize Rs. 5,000/- for each category. Venue will be informed. For further details, please contact, Ph: 9446330368, 0471-2490368 E-mail: drnairmkp@gmail.com

Chitranjali Studio, a unit of KSFDC Ltd. adds new facilities in their package for film production. The package includes O/D units, floors, locations, editing, dubbing, effects recording, surround mixing, DI, greenmat AC floor (14x11x5 mtr.), preview and accommodation. The film/documentary/short film package comes with the benefit of government subsidy (conditions apply). For enquires and booking, please contact, Ph: 0471-2381451, 52, 53, 2380946, 0484-242809 (Kochi) E-mail: chitranjalistudio@yahoo.com, Website: www.ksfdc.in

Entries open for ‘Filca Campus Film Festival-2016’

Chitranjali Studio adds new facilitiesin Film Package

"I am very much exited to be a part of this film buffs. This is my first IFFK. Delegate restriction in the inaugural ceremony was little bit annoying".

"The distribution of delegate passes and arrangement of reservation counters are well disciplined. increased

number in theatre facilitated in cinema viewing". Sudheer Kumar, Social Activist

Delegates Column

Dhanya Sudhershan, IT Employee

Mudiyettu performance by Keezhillam Unnikrishnan and Party organised by Kerala Folklore Academy

Padayani performance by Kuttoor Prasannakumar Thiruvalla and Party organised by Kerala Folklore Academy

09th December 20155

Festival Director T Rajeevnath, Chaiman KSCA Chief Editor S Rajendran Nair, Secretary KSCA Editorial Board Chairman J Ajith Kumar

Convenor Renji Kuriakose Coordinator Jayanthi Narendranath Members Alex Vallikunnam, CP Sree Harshan, Beena Khalam, Sajeev, Anand

Executive Editor Sadeesh Chalippadam Associate Editor Mammed Montage Assistant Editor TM Hisham Sub Editor Haris Nenmeni

Reporters Amala T Chacko, Jayasree C, Keerthana Mannayam Stills Ajay Saga, Shijin V K Design & Layout Shabeer M P Layout Assistant

Saeed Fasal Printing Akshara Offset, Thiruvananthapuram Editorial Support Haris Kormath

Printed & published by S Rajendran Nair, Secretary, Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Thiruvananthapuram on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Govt of Kerala.

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{‑]I‑rX‑n FÃ‑m‑w Hc‑p‑¡‑n‑s‑h¨‑n«‑v hc‑q F¶‑v £W‑n‑¡‑p‑

t‑¼‑ms‑eb‑mb‑n‑c‑p¶‑p AX‑v.‑'‑'

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""Fs‑´‑¦‑ne‑p‑w ]‑pX‑p‑X‑mb‑n Is‑ï‑S‑p‑¯‑p‑s‑I‑m‑ï‑p‑h¶‑p \‑nd‑¡‑p‑I‑b‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶‑nà Hä‑m‑e‑nÂ. B `‑q`‑m‑K‑¯‑p‑ï‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶ ac‑§f‑p‑w ]‑mSh‑p‑w ]‑q¡f‑p‑w X‑md‑m‑¡‑q‑«h‑p‑w CXc P‑oh‑n‑If‑p‑w a\‑p‑j‑yc‑p‑w FÃ‑m‑w ]‑m{‑X‑§‑f‑mb‑n \‑n¡‑p‑¶‑p‑ï‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶‑p \½Ä¡‑p t‑hï‑n.‑'‑'

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""t‑\‑m¡‑q‑, X‑mc‑a‑q‑e‑y‑a‑pÅ BÀ«‑n‑Ì‑p‑I‑t‑f‑m‑s‑S‑m¸h‑p‑w AÃ‑m‑¯‑h‑c‑ps‑S I‑qs‑Sb‑p‑w {‑]hÀ¯‑n‑¨‑n‑«‑pï‑v R‑m³. Hä‑me‑p‑w i‑m´‑h‑p‑s‑aÃ‑m‑w s‑Nb‑vX‑t‑¸‑mÄ A\‑p‑`‑h‑n¨ k‑z‑mX{‑´‑y‑w he‑p‑X‑m‑W‑v. a‑p¼‑v k‑n\‑na‑m I‑y‑mad I‑mW‑pII‑qS‑n s‑Nb‑vX‑n‑«‑n‑Ã‑m¯ A`‑n‑t‑\‑X‑m‑¡s‑f k‑z‑m`‑m‑h‑n‑I‑a‑mb‑n s‑]c‑p‑a‑m‑d‑m³ h‑nS‑p‑I‑b‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p‑¶‑p. Hä‑m‑e‑n‑t‑e¡‑v I‑pa‑cI‑w h‑mk‑p‑t‑Z‑h³ h¶‑p‑t‑N‑c‑p‑¶X‑p‑w‑ C§‑n‑s‑\‑Xs‑¶b‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶‑p. s‑e‑m‑t‑¡‑j‑\‑p‑I‑f‑n‑e‑q‑s‑S‑b‑pÅ R§‑f‑ps‑S b‑m{‑X¡‑ns‑S t‑X‑mW‑n X‑pgª‑v a‑p¼‑n hs‑¶‑¯‑p‑I‑b‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶‑p At‑±‑l‑w.‑'‑'

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s‑Nt‑¡‑m‑h‑ns‑â IY‑b‑mb h‑m¦‑ t‑Icf ]c‑n‑k‑c‑¯‑n‑t‑e¡‑v ]d‑n‑¨‑p‑\‑S‑pI F¶X‑v k‑ml‑k‑nI‑w Xs‑¶‑b‑m‑b‑n‑c‑p¶‑p F¶‑v Pb‑c‑mP‑v k½‑X‑n‑¡‑p‑¶‑p.

""X‑nc‑¡Y Fg‑p‑X‑nb t‑P‑mj‑n a‑wK‑e¯‑p‑w I‑y‑mad s‑Nb‑vX F‑w s‑P c‑m[‑m‑I‑r‑j‑vW\‑p‑w Gs‑d A`‑n‑\‑µ‑\‑aÀl‑n‑¡‑p¶‑p C‑u h‑nP‑b‑¯‑nÂ. Ah‑c‑ps‑S

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Pohn-X-¯n-sâ \-h-ck§Ä

6

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I-m-ä-n-e-p-w a-g-b-n-e-p-w a-m-ª-p-t-]-m-I-m-¯ A-S-b-m-f-§Ä

A few years ago, the director might have succumbed to liver cancer if not for a life saving transplant an experience that forms the basis for Force of Destiny, the first full-length feature he's made since. The film depicts a version of Cox's journey after a cancer diagnosis and liver transplant.

The film features the story of a renowned sculptor Robert who lives alone surrounded by his tools and his quintessential crafts. His family gets shocked when he gets diagnosed with cancer; the film follows his life and his relationship with Maya, an Indian biologist who comes from a different world and different reality. Maya transmogrifies his life in such a way that his mind is filled with the extreme desire to live. He has to confront the agony and pain of his life threatening disease.

Cox’s way of narration is incongruous to mainstream film making. Force of destiny still has fragmental surrealism such as couple of sinister characters in clown masks. Often, though, he's content to fall back on the most basic "point and shoot" style, framing the actors in unfussy wide shots as if they were on a stage.

Cox’s technical paucities were less palpable that his way of narration is singularly so close to life, normally considered as much more real than life by well acclaimed film critics. How one deciphers his work is all about understanding and responding to his personality, his highly agnostic spirituality, his slightly ponderous humour and all the other quirks that make him unlike anybody else.

Anand |

IoÀ¯\ a®bw |

Distinctively Real

Paul Cox has been both praised and reviled over the years, but he is undeniably Australia’s most stupendous art house film maker. IFFK

20 is lucky enough to have one of his well acclaimed work of art ‘Force of Destiny’ screened on 8th December 2015. It was a perfect treat for film aficionados and dilettantes who made their presence in IFFK 20. The much touted movie is produced by Maggie Miles, Mark Patterson and Baby Mathew Somatheeram who is a pioneer in Ayurvedic wellness treatment in Kerala.

09th December 20157

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Female film directors amuse, delight and inspire us with their talent behind the

camera for crafting memorable movies. But it is no secret that female film makers are not getting the same recognition or opportunities that male directors do and this has been a massive issue since the birth of film. The problem is not limited to any specific industry, but a global stigma, where women have played big roles but forgotten later on in film industry. Although many who are active today seek refuge in independent filmmaking, TV and online media, they are, increasingly

so, receiving more attention worldwide. “If there's specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can't change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies”, opines Kathryn Bigelow, the only Academy Award winning female director.

Reflecting on the increasing presence of women in world cinema, 20th International Film Festival of Kerala has devoted a section ‘Women Power’ exclusively to recognise them. Apart from this, the fest showcases works of over 20 women directors from across the globe in

six other packages - World Cinema, Inter national Competition, Country Focus, Korean Panorama, First Look and Indian Cinema Now.

In the Word Cinema category, around 10 movies are included made by female directors. The crafts of Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Mustang), Kristina Grozeva (The Lesson), Maiwenn (Mon Roi) and so on will provide a novel visual experience to the viewers. Rubaiyat Hossain represents Bangladesh in this category with Under Construction, which is about a woman struggling to find herself in the sprawl of

urban Bangladesh.Iranian cinema is making way for a

new generation of film-makers with Ida Panahandeh. The writer-director has made a splash with her film debut Nahid, a stimulating portrait of the tortuous legal complications and social stigmas concerning divorce and remarriage in Iran.

Women directors, of course, are not limited to directing critically acclaimed dramas or films geared toward female moviegoers. For decades, women have been directing in genres ranging from comedy and horror to animation and

sports. Making her presence in the

‘International Competition’ section, Khazakiatan director Zhanna Issabayeva’s sixth venture Bopem unravels the psyche of a 14-year-old boy who seeks revenge through his solitary life in the dried Aral Sea. It was premiered at Warsaw International Film Festival also.

Lithuanian director Kristina Buožytė's master's degree diploma film The Collectress, which is about a young woman Gailė who lost her ability to feel the emotions after her father's death

found its place in the ‘Contry Focus’ category.

Satarupa Sanyal’s Opala... The journey of a Woman and Manju Borah’s Song of the Horned Owl are the two movies which made into the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ section. "It's festivals like these where I get to showcase my work. It doesn't matter how many come to watch, but I'm thankful to those who get to watch my film," says Manju Borah, whose film was screened earlier this year at the Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF).

Jayasree C |

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