Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2001 5:53 pm
Posts: 14989
|
Indian films sparkle in Switzerland
P B
Iruvar
he 17th edition of Fribourg International Film Festival had a noteworthy representation of Indian cinema in various sections including the competition one headed by Martial Knaebel. The films Knaebel had selected for the ‘Competition’ section were Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Nizhalkkuthu (Shadow-Kill) and Pankaj Rishi Kumar’s Mat (The Vote), a documentary made on the “election†mechanism in Uttar Pradesh.
With the help of Shaji N. Karun (India) and Patricia Plattner (Geneva) Knaebal had also acquired for screening three Indian films for a new section called ‘Crossroad Perspectives’. The films were Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar (The Duo), Vasthuprush (The Guardian Spirit Of The House) directed by Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar and Suresh Elamon’s thirteen-minute short In Quest Of The Frogmouth’s Nest. Six other films chosen by Shaji N.Karun and Plattner in the same category were Jayantha Chandrasiri’s Agnidahaya (Fire And Water) from Sri Lanka, Gerardo Tort’s Mexican film Streets, Peter Fischli’s The Least Resistance, Tareque Massud’s Matir Moina (The Clay Bird) from Bangladesh, Andrew Cheng’s Shangai Panic (China/Australia), Irene Lusztig’s Romanian film Reconstruction (Romania) and Idrissa Mora-Kpai’s Si-Gueriki (The Queen Mother) from Benin/France.
Films of Raj Kapoor, Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Mani Ratnam were screened in the ‘Information’ and ‘Musical-Comedy’ sections. These included Barsaat (Hindi), Mando Meyer Upakhyan (Bengali) and Kannathil Muthamittal. Also was shown in the ‘Short’ category was a tribute film on G.Aravindan titled The Small World And The Big Person directed by Shaji N.Karun who handled the camera for all the films Aravindan made in his life time.
Barsaat
It may be argued that no other film festivals in Europe offers so much scope to Indian films as was found in this film festival headed by the mercurial Martial Knaebel whose nother name is “Prometheus-Of-Good-Cinemaâ€. Said Knaebel,â€Ours is a small film festival with a low budget. So we are obliged to pick films that speak to our heart and soul and tell stories marked by humane appeal and emotional sensibilities.â€
Knaebel is so inspired by the Indian filmmakers and their work that he is determined to carry on the battle for “cinema of images†meaning a lot more to the mankind all over the world. “There isâ€, said he, “a necessity for film directors to continue the catharsis of their people traumatized by years of dictatorship and civil war in South America, Asia and Africa.â€
Martial Knaebel was candid enough to admit that the festival couldn’t claim 100 per cent success. “We know the limitations of getting the ‘best work’ from filmmakers who are often hamstrung by financial hardships. Keeping in mind the global situation and the fact that the number of good films are simply dwindling every year, we realise that it is difficult to make good films these days as shifting political crisis along with restrained freedom continue to plague the filmmakers all over the world.â€
Knaebel will be coming to India shortly to scout for Indian films that are “vibrant and sensibleâ€. “I am sure many such films have been made and are waiting to be picked up,†he asserted optimistically.
http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.ph ... nt_id=3034
|
|
Login 
Register
FAQ
Search
