Images from IFFI

As the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) draws to a close in Goa,here are some sidelights: Focus Northeast

Focus Northeast

In spite of its unique landscape and diverse culture full of rich tales,the Northeast is yet to take off in terms of movie-making. Though digital technology is playing a significant role in helping filmmakers from here helm their projects,their efforts remain largely unrecognised outside the region. The reasons are many from its socio-political problems to lack of facilities and funds crunch. The focus on Northeast cinema is the first ever effort at putting the spotlight on the cinema of the region, says curator Utpal Borpujari. Eighteen movies including Matamgi Manipur (Manipuri),Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Aru Joymoti (Assamese) and Hagramayao Jinahari (Bodo) were screened under the section. Most of the movies made in the region reflect its social concerns, says Borpujar. What enhanced the Northeast experience at IFFI were the cultural programmes every evening as well as kiosks selling crafts and products from the region.

Soul of IFFI

Curated by Meera Dewan,Soul of Asia made its debut last year at IFFI. In this edition of the festival,this section featured a package of nine movies made on ancient Asian traditions and philosophies such as Buddhism,Hinduism,Taoism and Zen. In its first year,I chose movies going by the literal meaning of soul. So,most of the movies shown talked about different religious beliefs. This time,however,the selection is made with the intention of exploring the subject of faith more deeply, says Dewan. An art exhibition on spirituality was also inaugurated by Iranian director Majid Majidi. Some of the films in this section are The Patience Stone (Afghanistan),Faith Connections (India),Apparition (Philippines),The Story of the Weeping Camel (Mongolia) and Departures (Japan). The event will wrap up with Abbas Kiarostamis Close-Up (Iran) on Saturday.

Its not all Greek

Cinema in Greece has gone through many highs and lows during its century-old history. Though the country does not produce a large number of films,Greek movies have bagged top honours at the Cannes Film Festival as well as Oscar nominations. For several years,Greece has been in the grip of an economic crisis. Undeterred,its filmmakers have found ways to finance their projects and enjoy international attention. We are making movies in spite of adversity. We dont have a film industry since the 70s. The financial crisis has made it worse,but even under such circumstances,we are producing movies, said Maria Douza,director of The Tree and The Swing. Other films shown under the Greek Vignettes section are J.A.C.E. (Just Another Confused Elephant),Marjoram,September,The Daughter and Wild Duck.

Single Window-Clearance

The talk of a new initiative taken by the Centre to work out a new single-window clearance facility for granting permissions for film shooting locations across the country resonated in the courtyards of the IFFI venue. This could be a major step towards encouraging Indian and International filmmakers to shoot in the country, said Shankar Mohan,director of IFFI. This will also help in increasing revenue generation of Indian states. Today,filmmakers prefer shooting in international locations not because they are looking for more exotic locations but the procedures of obtaining permission is easier abroad. Many countries offer better schemes in comparison to our Indian tourism board,said Anubhav Sinha,director of Ra.One,during a discussion.

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