Take 3

Take 3

KRISHNAPRIYA J

Gearing themselves up for the annual feast of films, a few seasoned enthusiasts put across their takes on the 16th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala.

  Baiju Chandran , Film Maker and Asst. Director, Doordarshan says Latin American and Iranian films top his priority list.  "Of all the films from the world cinema category, I always find myself seated for Latin American and Iranian films. Because I feel Indians can best identify themselves with the aesthetics and geography of these films. The kind of magical realism conveyed through films has twice the reach compared to reading writers like Marquez." Retrospectives and packages always come into focus due to  its scope, both in the theoretical and practical discourse. The 16^th IFFK has been in the news of late, because of the notable  absence of Malayalam films in the Competition category. “It is unfortunate, to miss out an opportunity to present Kerala before the international jury for the  festival”, he said.

 

  P. Baburaj, Film Maker and Critic says though he don’t find much of a vibe with in the competition section, the Kaidan classics and retrospective of Theodoros Angelopoulos is something which he is looking forward to. Rather than the regional films, it is the Retro and Package section that carry the essence of a festival.

  “However, in the context of the ongoing political appraisals in the Arab world the ‘Arab Retro’ section is likely to draw in a considerable amount of delegates” he adds. Baburaj thinks that had it not been affected by an administrative lapse, that ended in the rejection of a film and cancelling of an entry, there would have been a worthwhile presence from Malayalam. Apart from the administration, a mellowed approach from the delegates can also contribute to the success of the film festival.

  Sports based packages as a different entry to the festival ground is one of the specialities of 16th IFFK.  Sreebala K Menon, Writer and Film Maker says that It excites her most that there is an entirely new retro in this IFFK, Kicking and Screening, something which she really looks into. Sports based films, though regularly featured in film festivals, a whole new package of sports films is something new.  Arab films also top her priority list, due to the difference in its making. Normally films are done in a created atmosphere but with Arab films it happens that off hand shots and scattered visuals are put together to form a work of art.