Le blog d'un critique de cinéma autodidacte voire autonome créé par Lalit Rao.

Interview with Kirill Razlogov, Director Moscow International Film Festival

2008-02-06T03:24:00.000-08:00

Interview with Kirill Razlogov, Director Moscow International Film Festival

Kiril Razlogov is a multifaceted personality of Russian cinema. Since many years he has been following a variety of cinema related professions in Russia. Among his important functions one can name-professorship at the Russian state cinema school (VGIK), leadership of the Russian institute of cultural research. He is the author of around 300 articles as well as 14 books on history of art, media and cinema. He also plays an active role as a researcher at Russian Film Archives (Gosfilmofond).

Film Critic Lalit Rao spoke to Kiril Razlogov in New Delhi during 7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival (15-24 July 2005)

Lalit Rao : As a film festival director, how many festival big or small do you attend in order to make a nice program for your Moscow International film Festival ?

Kiril Razlogov: The main selection for the competitive section is done outside of festivals at the film markets (Cannes, Los Angeles, MIFED in the past, on a lesser scale Berlin) or during special visits to specific film producing countries, because we need premieres, more or les “virgin” films. For out of competition screenings, we might use films shown at other festivals. Personally I go to 8-10 festivals per year. But there are 5 other members of the selection committee who travel also.

Lalit Rao : Over the years it is said that Karlovy Vary film festival has become more important than Moscow International film festival. Can we say that Karlovy Vary's gain is Moscow's loss ?

Kiril Razlogov: The crisis of both “socialist” festivals after the collapse of the system was common. Karlovy Vary came out of it quicker, becoming a yearly event already in 1994. Moscow took more time and became yearly only in 1999. During these five years Karlovy Vary “won” something. After that the competition and collaboration between those two festivals developed normally.

Lalit Rao : Nice films are coming from central Asian countries which were formally a part of soviet union some years back. What is your festival's view in order to reveal these promising films ?

Kiril Razlogov: We are trying to favor our former compatriots both in and out of competition. In 2004 the Estonian film “Revolution of the pigs” got one of the main awards. In 2005 we have shown in competition “The Shepherd” by the Uzbek director Yusuf Razykov.

Lalit Rao : In your Moscow International Film Festival 2005 book you wrote that Moscow International Film Festival is a transitional one. Could you please elaborate on that ?

Kiril Razlogov: One of the key problems of every big festival is the link to film production and distribution. Several years age we had to stop the traditional film market at our festival. It had a sense during the socialist period, when the two political systems were separated and lost any impact in the modern system, monopolized by Los Angeles and Cannes (even MIFED disappeared in the competition). This year we made a first step to a co-production market in Moscow. We invited a group of European producers and organized meetings with Russian producers and directors. A projects market is to follow next year.

Lalit Rao : How is Moscow International Film Festival funded ?

Kirill Razlogov : Mostly from the State budget (from 50 to 75% depending of the year) with a participation of Moscow government and private sponsors (both in money and in kind). The overall budget in 1999 (a good year) was $ 3,5 million, in 2005 (a bad year) – $ 2,5 million

Lalit Rao : Does your festival get Hollywood stars to attract more audience ? Do glamour and art work side by side at Moscow International Film Festival ?

Kiril Razlogov: Yes.

Lalit Rao : Moscow International Film Festival takes place every year in June. For how many months in advance do you work for your festival ?

Kiril Razlogov: All the year around for non competitive sections and special events, March to May to finalize the competitions.

Lalit Rao : Moscow International Film Festival is becoming more popular than before. What were the constraints Moscow International Film Festival had to face in the past ?

Kiril Razlogov: We had mostly political constrains both from the inside (censorship) and the outside (boycotts). Some films were difficult to get, some people did not wand to come to the “Evil Empire”. But most of the really great filmmakers were from the political left and we worked with them easily before the changes.

Lalit Rao : What according to you is the difference between Moscow film festival before the collapse of soviet union and Moscow film festival after its collapse ?

Kiril Razlogov: The basic difference is that before the festival was immensely popular because it was the only possibility to see Hollywood and European blockbusters. Now they are on all the screens commercially. The festival had to become more artistic and its audience is mostly film buffs. The public is more interested in the art-house movies, but the overall festival audience dropped dramatically. It became impossible (or extremely expensive) to come to Moscow from other cities in Commonwealth of Independent States.

Lalit Rao : Where do you see Moscow International Film Festival in 5 years from now ?

Kiril Razlogov : Between Venice and Berlin.

Interview with Philip Cheah, Artistic Director, Singapore International Film Festival

2008-02-05T22:15:00.000-08:00

Interview with Philip Cheah, Artistic Director, Singapore International Film Festival

Film critic Lalit Rao interviewed Philip Cheah on 18/07/2004 in New Delhi during 6th Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2004

Lalit Rao:What role do International film festivals play in promoting cinema culture ?

Philip Cheah: International film festivals provide a contextual space to appreciate film culture.One can watch retrospective dedicated to prominent film directors,meet critics as well as filmmakers.This is something you don’t get when you go for a commercial exhibition.One can also meet like minded people during International film festivals.International film festivals provide support system for production of cinema.A lot of International film festivals have become platforms for the support of pre production,production,funding etc.

Lalit Rao:You have been associated with Singapore International Film Festival since 1987.How has it evolved over the years ?

Philip Cheah: Singapore International Film Festival is unique as being the 1st Asian film festival to have specific film competition for Asian cinema.Today,Singapore International Film Festival is a good place for South East Asian cinema which includes films from Malaysia,Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore etc.We always try to highlight important films produced from this part of Asia. Singapore International Film Festival spends a lot of money for retrospectives of directors from this part of the world who are not internationally recognised.This year Singapore International Film Festival 2004 showed a retrospective dedicated to Laurice Guillen-a major woman filmmaker from Philippines.

Lalit Rao: What is the current state of affairs of cinema in Singapore ?

Philip Cheah:Since its creation in 1987,Singapore International Film Festival has been promoting Singaporean cinema.Every year there is a specific competition for Singaporean short films.The revival of Singaporean cinema began in 1992 with a film called “Medium Rare”.Since then average annual production is around 2-6 films.Every year more than 100 short films are produced in Singapore.

Lalit Rao: It is widely believed that standard of film criticism has deteriorated over the years.What are your views on this disturbing trend ?

Philip Cheah:We are living in a post modern age.There are a lot of critics belonging to post modern generation who cannot break out of post modern mould.These are the critics who are not able to see cinema with depth.That is precisely the reason there are critics who praise films like “Moulin Rouge”.For many critics it is quite unbearable to sit through a film like “Moulin Rouge”.The basic problem is that history is getting longer and longer.New critics have to struggle to in order to work hard.Baby boom generation was lucky as they had easy access to classics of cinema.They could also understand pop culture trends.After baby boom generation it is really difficult to see the context of history.

Lalit Rao: Two decades ago Asian cinema was not recognised by the west.Do you think whether there was any hidden agenda on the part of western media in failing to do so ?

Philip Cheah:We (Asians) had to suffer orientalism for many years.Asian cinema was not recognised for a long time as it was seen through western eyes.The situation began to change with the rise of Asian cinema in various International film festivals.Film critics and festival programmers promoted Asian cinema especially Asian filmmakers whom they respected.Singapore International film festival 2003 organised a retrospective dedicated to celebrated Srilankan filmmaker Dharmasena Pathiraja. The irony is that even after that retrospective major film festivals in the west failed to pick up his works.

Lalit Rao:You are also a member of NETPAC jury.How difficult is the task of rating oustanding films for an award ?

Philip Cheah: Being a jury member for any kind of competition is difficult.It is difficult to find a common ground as your other colleagues come from different background.One can arrive at a decision very quickly if there are very few oustanding films.

Lalit Rao:You have been a frequent visitor to many leading International film festivals.Which are your favourite film festivals ?

Philip Cheah:My favourite film festivals in the west include Cannes International Film Festival and Rotterdam International Film Festival.As far as film festivals from East are concerned,I would choose Hong Kong International Film Festival and Pusan International Film Festival as my preferred film festivals.Big film festivals have a serious drawback that one cannot have any kind of personal interaction with anybody.In these festivals everyone is in a hurry.Smaller film festivals like Cinefan Film Festival of Asian cinema give spectators a chance to interact with film critics as well as film makers on a personal level.

Interview with Malayasian Filmmaker U Wei Bin Haji Sari.

2008-02-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

Interview with Malaysian film maker: U Wei Bin Haji Sari

Film critic Lalit Rao interviewed U Wei Bin Haji Sari on 19/07/2004 in New Delhi during 6th Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2004

Lalit Rao: How would you define your new film “Swing my swing high, darling” ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari:I feel that one way of looking at my film “Swing my swing high, darling” is that it tells a story of people who are angry with their fate. Some of the people just follow their fate like the old man in the film. Broadly speaking, my film deals with how ordinary people deal with their fate.

Lalit Rao: This film is different from your other films. Why this change of style ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: There have always been similarities and differences between my films. I think that one film is same and other are just variations.

Lalit Rao: What is the current state of Malaysian film industry ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: Malaysian film industry is very small in size. We produce about 15 films annually. There are 2 kinds of film making in Malaysia. On one hand we have commercial films which are the usual song and dance stuff. On other hand there are films which question life, reveal life. The audience for such kind of cinema is limited. Malaysian film goers prefer escapist cinema. Even producers want to make more of such kind of films. It is therefore difficult for me to make films even more difficult to make good films as films are an expensive medium.

Lalit Rao: How good has been the response of your films in various International Film Festivals ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: My films are more popular at International film festivals. Festival goers have been receptive of my work. But they are not the majority. Festival audience is not mass audience. International film festivals have provided a window for my films to be shown abroad.

Lalit Rao: What has been the role of Mayalsian film government in the promotion of Malaysian cinema ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: Malaysian government is slowly becoming aware of cinema’s role. They are trying to assist cinema by helping filmmakers to make their films. They provide finance, easy permit to shoot. There is even more accessibility to shoot in Malaysia. Malaysian government is trying to be more open about censorship. It is also helping filmmakers to exhibit their films. Malyasian government is giving indications that it is going to play a bigger role. I am optimistic by the signals they are giving.

Lalit Rao: What are your views on co production ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: Film making is becoming more expensive day by day. I am of the view that co production helps. It is a well known fact that east and west are collaborating together to produce good films. Malaysian government must also try this method of making films. Co production is a result of understanding of two forces.

Lalit Rao: How are young Malaysian film makers making their films ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: Young malaysian filmmakers are lucky enough as Digital video is accessible to them. It is much easier for them to get in cinema. Digital video does not intimidate these young film makers.

Lalit Rao: What are your current projects ? Are you working on some film lately ?

U Wei Bin Haji Sari: Well, it is in pre pre production stage with Irish and Australian prodcuers. It is a film set in Borneo.

An interview with Kim Dong Ho-Director Pusan International Film Festival

2008-02-05T04:22:00.000-08:00

Interview with KIM DONG HO, Director, Pusan International
Film Festival conducted by Film Critic Lalit Rao

Pusan International Film Festival is an enchanting window to the magnificent world of Asian cinema.In a short span of 9 years,it has become one of the most important film festivals in Asia.Its soaring popularity can be judged from the fact that leading film festival directors as well as programmers from all over the world,make it a point to attend its numerous screenings in order to select best Asian films for their own festivals.The festival has attained worldwide popularity thanks to the indefatigable efforts of its founder director Mr.Kim Dong Ho who has been associated with this event ever since its inception in 1996.Mr.Kim Dong Ho is a true champion of Asian cinema.He believes that Asian cinema especially young Asian filmmakers must be promoted globally. Mr.Kim Dong Ho attends major international film festivals in order to showcase best of world cinema for south Korean cinephiles.Many Asian filmmakers have profited enormously from Mr.Kim Dong Ho’s initiatives within the framework of Pusan International Film Festival.During his tenure as director of Pusan International Film Festival,a fim production fund called Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) was initiated.Its beneficiaries include prominents Asian filmmakers like Fruit Chan,Garin Nugroho,Nguyen Vo Minh,Shunji Iwai,Junji Sakamoto,Darejan Omirbayev, Aktan Abdykalikov etc.Young Asian filmmakers are indebted to Mr.Kim Dong Ho as he has been instrumental in the establishment of “Asian Film Academy”.The setting up of this institution is one of Mr.Kim Dong Ho’s gifts to Asian cinema.

A soft spoken gentleman,Mr.Kim Dong Ho spoke to Lalit Rao in New Delhi,India where he attended 7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005

Lalit Rao:Your festival Pusan International Film Festival was launched in 1996.Under what circumstances was this festival created.What were the reasons for starting Pusan International Film festival?

Kim Dong Ho:In 1995 3 professors in Pusan asked me to prepare and establish an International Film Festival in Pusan.Before starting Pusan International Film Festival several seminars and meetings were organised as part of preparations to establish an International Film Festival in Pusan.I was also involved in the preparations of a new International film festival in Pusan.

Lalit Rao:What was your role in Pusan International Film festival.What were your functions ? .In what capacity were your working at that time ?

Kim Dong Ho:As Pusan International Film Festival is a festival that has been established in an Asian region,we planned to focus on Asian films especially to discover new promising Asian films and directors.We wanted to introduce these filmmakers abroad.We would like to support film making in Asian countries.It is with this view in mind that we launched Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) from the 3rd edition Pusan International Film festival 1999.It was a great success.The reason why Pusan International Film Festival has grown bigger and bigger during a short period of time is that we have a very appropriate strategy.We have received tremendous support for our programmes as well as projects.

Lalit Rao:When you started Pusan International Film Festival in 1995,south Korean cinema was not getting too much of success in South korea as there were too many American films being shown in South korea.How did your festival fight the dominance of American cinema in South korea ?

Kim Dong Ho:There are 2 factors which helped us fight the dominance of American cinema in South Korea.Firstly,we had a screen quota system in South Korea.According to this system the owner of a cinema has to screen south Korean films for a period of 146 days in a year.Thanks to this screen quota system south Korean films were able to achieve tremendous success at box office as it was mandatory for them to be shown for 146 days.Thus we can say that screen quota system contributed enormously to promote South Korean cinema.Secondly since 1980s numerous young film directors who studied abroad as well as at various universities in South Korea began influencing south Korean cinema.They began making films,distributing films.The young generation of Korean filmmakers made films of diverses kinds,different genres.This helped us to tackle the control of American cinema in south Korea .

Lalit Rao:You spoke of Pusan Promotion Plan.Is it meant only for south Korean films ? Can Asian films benefit from it ?

Kim Dong Ho:Usually we select 23 Asian projects including 2-3 south Korean film projects.So most of the films which profit from Pusan Promotion Plan are Asian films.

Lalit Rao:Could you please give some examples of Asian films which have benefited from Pusan Promotion Plan ?

Kim Dong Ho:I can mention “The Circle” directed by Iranian cineaste Jafar Panahi.It was shown in 2000 during 5th Pusan International Film Festival.This film won the best film award at Venice Film Festival 2000.“Beijing Bicycle” by Wang Xiaoshuai also received funds from Pusan Promotion Plan.This film was awarded jury grand prix award as well as new talents award at 2001 Berlin International Film Festival.This year 2005 “Three Times” by Hou Hsiao Hsien was selected in the competition section of Cannes Film Festival 2005.

Lalit Rao:Your festival is one of the leading film festivals in South Korea.Apart from Pusan International Film Festival,there are other film festivals in south Korea like Jeonju International Film festival and Pifan film festival.How different is your festival from these festivals ?

Kim Dong Ho:In general Pusan International Film Festival invites best,quality films from all over the world.Puchon film festival is a fantastic film festival.This festival shows films belonging to fantastic genre.Jeonju film festival is an alternative film festival.It usually screens many digital as well as independent films.That is the difference between these festivals and Pusan International Film Festival.

Lalit Rao:Could you please tell us more about the film market at Pusan International Film Festival.How does this market conduct its business ?

Kim Dong Ho:3 years ago we established a small Asian film market.Last year we invited around 30 film distribution companies from various Asian countries to participate in this market.We would like to enlarge the scale of Asian film market at this year’s Pusan International Film Festival (October 6-14,2005).

Lalit Rao:These days south Korean cinema is doing extremely well on international level.South Korean directors like Hong Sang Soo,Park Chan Wook and Kim Ki Duk are achieving tremendous success at various international film festivals.How have these directors responded to Pusan International Film Destival.Has Pusan International film festival shown their films ? What is the response to south Korean cinema which is gaining international success at Pusan film festival ?

Kim Dong Ho:Most of Kim Ki Duk’s films have been shown at Pusan International film festival as world premieres.He has made some of his films through Pusan Promotion Plan.Pusan International film festival has discovered many promising south Korean directors especially Lee Chang Dong.His film “Peppermint Candy” was the opening film at 4th Pusan Film Festival,1999.

Lalit Rao:Every film festival strives to achieve success.You cannot achieve success without the support of national government.What kind of help has Pusan Film Festival received from south Korean government especially from ministry of culture ?

Kim Dong Ho:The new government has been helpful from the the beginning.Lee Chang Dong was appointed as minister of culture.It is rather sad that he worked for only 1.5 years.He resigned regrettably so early.I guess he wanted to help not only south Korean film Industry but also other cultural fields in south Korea.Thus it is difficult to say what has been government’s contribution to south Korean film industry.

Lalit Rao:At Pusan International Film Festival international guests get a chance to watch latest south Korean films.How does Pusan International Film festival help Korean audience to know more about the current trends in world cinema ?

Kim Dong Ho:The main purpose of Pusan film festival is to introduce south Korean films abroad.Our contribution in that regard is much more significant than that of other film festivals.Before the launch of Pusan International Film Festival only 3 south Korean films were shown at Cannes film festival,during its 50 years old history.After the establishment of Pusan International film festival,Cannes film festival director and directors of various sections came to Pusan in order to select south Korean films for their festival.In 1998 4,5 south Korean films were shown at Cannes film festival.Last year there were 6 south Korean films at Cannes 2004

Lalit Rao:It is true that Pusan International film festival helps to promote Asian cinema.There are however certain Asian countries like Iraq,Afghanistan etc.whose films have not yet achieved global recognition.What is Pusan film festival’s course of action in order to reveal these relatively lesser known film industries ?

Kim Dong Ho:From the outset our primary objective is to reveal new Asian directors.We wish to introduce their films abroad especially in European countries. Every year we show about 100 Asian films at Pusan International Film Festival.Most of the European film festival directors as well as programmers attend Pusan International film festival in order to select Asian Films for their festivals.

Lalit Rao:As the director of Pusan Film Festival,do you have complete freedom ? Do you always get a chance to choose the films you wish to show,organize the programmes you want to showcase at your festival ?

Kim Dong Ho:As the director of Pusan film festival,I have enjoyed complete freedom ever since its creation.In 1996 when the 1st edition of Pusan film festival was launched, there was still a censorship system in south Korea.We asked government not to create any cenorship problems for the films chosen for the festival.Since then we don’t have censorship problems for the films which have been chosen to participate in Pusan International film festival.

Lalit Rao:Do Asian films awarded at Pusan film festival get a commercial release in south Korea ?

KDH:One of the biggest production and distribution companies in south Korea “CJ entertainment” selected 5 non commercial Asian films for commercial distribution.This company purchased rights to broadcast and distribute these films for south korea’s domestic market.

Lalit Rao:Do television and other cultural bodies in south Korea play any role in the production of films ?

Kim Dong Ho:No,we don’t have that system in South Korea.One can find this system in France and also in Germany where television helps out in the production of films.

Lalit Rao:Could you please tell us more about Pusan Film Festival’s audience.What kind of audience do you have at Pusan Film Festival ? Are these viewers film buffs ?

Kim Dong Ho:80 % of our audience at Pusan film festival is in their teens and in their 20s.In a way,we can say that we have a very young audience for our festival.

Lalit Rao:Please tell us more about the competition section at your festival.How many films do you select ?

Kim Dong Ho:At Pusan International film festival there is only 1 competition section.This is meant for those new young Asian directors who present their 1st or 2nd films.For this competition section we select only 11 films.Sometimes we select 13 films including 1 or 2 films from south Korea.

Lalit Rao:The 1st edition of Pusan film festival was organised in 1996.Last year we saw the organization of its 9th edition.Do you think that over the years Pusan International film festival has grown bigger and bigger ? Are there things still to be achieved by Pusan International film festival ?

Kim Dong Ho:I guess we are trying to improve more and more.I am not sure of the future,but we are trying our best.

Lalit:What would be the highlights of the 10th edition of Pusan International Film Festival (6-14 October,2005)

Kim Dong Ho:We would be showing 30 masterpieces of Asian cinema.There would also be a retrospective of late Lee Man-Hi’s films.We would also have a focus on British films.

Lalit Rao:British films-Ken Loach,Mike Leigh ?

Kim Dong Ho:Yeah Yeah !!

Lalit Rao:Thank you very much for having given us a chance to speak to you !

Kim Dong Ho:Thank you.

Entretien avec Thomas Struck, Talent Manager : Berlinale Talent Campus

2008-02-05T03:20:00.000-08:00

Thomas Struck

Talent Manager (Le directeur de nouveaux talents) au Berlinale Talent Campus

Lalit Rao 17/07/2005 Osian Cinefan 7ème Festival du Cinéma Asiatique 2005

“On dit que la durée d’une minute est impossible au cinéma.Il est bien possible de tourner en l’espace d’une minute.Un film qui dure une minute pourrait bien être une éternité.L’art du cinéma fondamental concerne l’économie de l’utilisation du temps par des cinéastes.”

Thomas Struck est une personnalité souriante du cinéma allemand.Son nom signifie diverses choses à des gens différents.Pour ceux de l’industrie cinématographique allemande,c’est un cinéaste doué,un administrateur compétent qui a contribué à la création de l’organisation européenne de la distribution des films.Pour ceux qui le connaissent au Berlinale surtout au Berlinale Talent Campus,il est dénicheur de talents dont les yeux vigilants ont fait connaître nombreux jeunes cinéastes venant de tous les coins du monde.Sous sa direction ingénieuse,Berlinale Talent Campus a aidé plusieurs jeunes cinéastes pour qu’ils puissent librement dialoguer avec des cinéastes établis afin de perfectionner leurs propres carrières cinématographiques.Qu’est ce que « Berlinale Talent Campus » ? Berlinale Talent Campus est un forum où les jeunes metteurs-en-scène assistent à des ateliers,des sessions interactives.Ils entrent en conversation avec des maîtres du cinéma pour bien connaître les ficelles du métier.Berlinale Talent Campus a bien aiguisé leur pouvoirs d’invention.Quelle est la preuve de son succès ? C’est au Berlinale Talent Campus en 2003 que le jeune cinéaste sri-lankais Vimukti Jayasundara a été repéré.Cette année-ci,il a remporté « la caméra d’or » au festival de Cannes 2005 pour son film « La terre abandonnée ».On peut également se demander pourquoi les efforts de Thomas Struck et Berlinale Talent Campus sont tellement uniques.La réponse est assez claire.Ils le sont car ceux-ci ont fermement prouvé que les grands festivals du cinéma peuvent également joué un rôle définitif afin de dénicher de nouveaux cinéastes plein de promesses.

Un homme qui vous accueille toujours en souriant,Thomas Struck s’est entretenu avec Lalit Rao le 17 juillet,2005 à New Delhi lors de Osian Cinefan 7eme festival du cinéma asiatique 2005.

Lalit Rao : Berlinale Talent Campus a été établi en 2003.Cela fait 3 ans que votre organisme révèle des jeunes cinéastes plein d’avenir.En quoi consiste-t-il les exploits de Berlinale Talent Campus ?

Thomas Struck:L’idée principale est d’offrir un forum de communication aux jeunes cinéastes car vous ne pouvez jamais passer une commande de réaliser de bons films.On peut juste fournir un arrière-plan,une tribune où des jeunes cinéastes commencent à s’associer avec des professionnels du cinéma afin de travailler sur leurs propres thèmes. C’est notre tâche principale au Berlinale Talent Campus.Depuis 3 ans nous sommes bien conscients du fait que Berlinale Talent Campus est un concept réussi car Berlinale 2004 a accueilli plus de 20 cinéastes qui avaient déjà participé au Berlinale Talent Campus.En 2004,ils sont venus présenter leurs propres films au Berlinale.Il y avait également des jeunes cinéastes révélés au Berlinale Talent Campus qui ont été primés au festival de Cannes.Il y avait beaucoup de personnes du monde entier pour qui Berlinale Talent correspondait à une ligne de départ.C’est précisément à partir de celle-ci que ces jeunes cinéastes ont reçu de l’inspiration,des contacts.

Lalit Rao : Il semble que vous recevez sûrement maintes candidatures de la part des jeunes cinéastes du monde entier.Pourriez-vous nous décrire le processus de sélection?Combien de demandes ademettez-vous ? Comment se fait la sélection finale ?

Thomas Struck:Comment pourrait-on révéler un jeune cinéaste ! Voilà la question qui se pose ! C’est la question foncière que nous nous sommes posées lorsqu’on avait établi Berlinale Talent Campus.On pourrait bien rédiger des CVs détaillés,écrire beaucoup de filmographies,faire le compte rendu des prix gagnés.On n’est pas en mesure de contrôler tout cela.

Lalit Rao : Il existe certainement des sites web qui peuvent le vérifier !

Thomas Struck:Il y aurait sûrement un moyen de tout vérifier mais cela entraînera trop de travail.L’idée essentielle est d’être dotée d’un échantillon.Les candidats posent leurs candidatures en nous envoyant des échantillons de leurs travaux.Il s’agit d’une vidéo d’environ 1 minute.Ils peuvent choisir n’importe quel thème.Ils peuvent tourner ce qu’ils ont dans leurs esprits.Ils peuvent également préparer un échantillon de leurs travaux formels.Cela pourrait être n’importe quoi !

Lalit Rao : Cela pourrait être n’importe quoi ? Même animation ?

Thomas Struck:Oui.Cela pourrait être n’importe quoi.Bien sûr.N’importe quel genre. One peut également tourner quelquechose tout en juste disant bonjour,je m’appelle XYZ.Pourvu que cela soit fait dans une façon renversante.On dit que la durée d'une minute est impossible au cinéma.Il est bien possible de tourner en l'espace d'une minute.Un film qui dure une minute pourrait bien être une éternité.L'art du cinéma fondamental concerne l'économie de l'utilisation du temps par des cinéastes.La durée d’une minute sans aucun doute est suffisante pour nous indiquer de quel cinéaste il s’agit.Elle nous dit trop de choses sur le style d’un cinéaste.Elle nous révèle tout ce qu’il y a dans la tête d’un cinéaste.Quelles sont les idées d’un cinéaste ? Au Berlinale Talent Campus on reçoit annuellement environ 2000-3000 échantillons des travaux.Les scénaristes peuvent envoyer des scénarios de 5 pages.Les musiciens peuvent envoyer des partitions qui durent 5 minutes.Lorsque nous nous mettons à évaluer ces échantillons nous avons une réaction instinctive.C’est comme nous ressentons quelque chose au fond de nous-mêmes.C’est comme nous nous rendons au cinéma.Je ne suis pas un analyste lorsque je me rends au cinéma.En sortant,j’analyse et j’obtiens une réaction viscérale.C’est précisément cette réaction clée que l’on partage au sein de notre équipe dont les membres viennent des différents coins du monde.

Lalit Rao :Est-ce que cette équipe de sélection varie d’une année à l’autre ?

Thomas Struck:Oui.Elle varie d’une année à l’autre mais nous suivons un système selon lequel en partie il y a des anciens sélectionneurs qui travaillent conjointement avec de nouveaux sélectionneurs.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que la plupart de ces sélectionneurs viennent de l’Allemagne?

Thomas Struck:Cette équipe a une allure internationale.Au sein de celle-ci il y a des gens qui viennent des Etats-Unis,de l’Allemagne,de l’Amérique du sud,de l’Asie.On essaie d’avoir une équipe internationale car elle nous aide à avoir une meilleure idée sur les travaux des participants.Parfois,je n’arrive pas à saisir un échantillon qui vient par exemple de l’Inde.Parfois il m’est difficile de comprendre des œuvres en provenance de l’amérique latine.Vu ces difficultés,ces sélectionneurs nous aident à communiquer tout ce qu’un candidat souhaite exprimer à partir de son œuvre.

Lalit Rao : Quelle était la raison principale de créer Berlinale Talent Campus en 2003 ? Est-ce que vous aviez le sentiment qu’il faudrait faire quelquechose pour aider les jeunes cinéastes vu que la création des films est un processus onéreux. Comment avez-vous décidé de lancer Berlinale Talent Campus à une époque lorsque ce concept n’existait même pas du sein d’autres festivals mondiaux. ?

Thomas Struck: Le concept pour Berlinale Talent Campus a débuté à une époque lorsqu’il y avait un changement des directeurs au sein de Berlinale.Tout a commencé avec la nomination de Dieter Kosslick comme le directeur du festival international du film de Berlin.Cela fait déjà des années que je connais Dieter Kosslick.Nous avons travaillé ensemble à Hambourg en Allemagne.Dieter Kosslick a entièrement réorganisé Berlinale.Il était de l’opinion que ces jours il ne suffit pas de montrer des films et uniquement de montrer des soi-disant superproductions. Il sentait qu’afin de rendre un festival intéressant,il est important de dénicher des jeunes cinéastes doués.Selon lui cela doit être considéré comme l’un des principaux objectifs d’un festival.En second lieu,un festival doit fournir un arrière-plan où les jeunes cinéastes peuvent commencer à communiquer.Donc Berlinale Talent Campus est un outil idéal.D’une part c’est un lieu où l’industrie cinématographique peut découvrir des jeunes talentueux vu que les professionnels de l’industrie sont curieux de faire la connaissance de ces cinéastes inconnus.D’autre part,il est également alléchant pour ces gens qui ne connaissent pas bien l’industrie cinématographique de venir participer à un festival « catégorie A » sinon ils ne seront pas là.Pour cette raison Berlinale Talent Campus est une entrée extraordinaire pour ces cinéastes de faire leur entrée dans un monde fort professionnel du cinéma.Ils peuvent y rencontrer des experts fortement professionnels.Ces jeunes cinéastes peuvent entrer en contact avec eux sans complications.Il faut préciser que Berlinale Talent Campus n’est pas un remplaçant d’une école de cinéma.Berlinale Talent Campus n’est qu’un forum où l’on peut rencontrer des gens,cueillir des idées,partager des opinions.Ceci n’est pas une approche académique.On n’est pas à la recherche de quelqu’un qui sort d’une école cinématographique.C’est uniquement l’échantillon du travail qui prime.C’est à ces gens talentueux d’en tirer le maximum.Selon mes expériences une chose est certaine.Ils profitent vraiment bien de leur séjour au Berlinale.C’est quelquechose de sûr !

Lalit Rao : Que se passe-t-il une fois un jeune cinéaste est déniché au Berlinale Talent Campus.Est-ce que Berlinale Talent Campus continue à maintenir du contact avec des jeunes cinéastes déjà primés d’autrefois ?

Thomas Struck: C’est un aspect qu’on étudie actuellement.On considère « Berlinale Talent Campus » comme un talent campus virtuel.La communication continue parmi différents candidats vu qu’ils ont tous leurs coordonnées.Ils sont en mesure de voir les échantillons de leurs propres œuvres sur le site web de Berlinale Talent Campus.Si je m’intéresse à travailler en Inde,je peux me renseigner sur des candidats indiens.Ainsi je pourrais les contacter.C’est justement la même chose pour quelqu’un d’autre étant donné que toutes les informations sont disponibles au site web.On offre également des transcriptions et des extraits vidéo des cours.Donc,grâce au site web les gens peuvent enter en contact l’un avec l’autre.En dehors du site web Berlinale Talent Campus,moyennant un concours unique,on leur offre une occasion de tourner un court-métrage qui pourrait gagner le prix « Berlin Today ».Les gens peuvent donc revenir à Berlin.Comme on examine des différentes possibilités de communication,on serait heureux de connaître des vues afin de savoir comment pourrait-on rendre la communication plus efficace entre ces participants de Berlinale Talent Campus.Nous désirons également savoir comment serions-nous en mesure de rendre Berlinale Talent Campus attrayant tout au long de l’année.

Lalit Rao : Cela fait déjà 2 ans que votre organisme Berlinale Talent Campus fonctionne au sein de Cinefan festival du cinéma asiatique.A quel titre,Berlinale Talent Campus a pris la décision de collaborer avec Cinefan festival du cinéma asiatique ?

Thomas Struck: La toute première idée est de soutenir des projets qui visent à faire la promotion des jeunes cinéastes de l’avenir.C’est en quelque sorte une bonne situation et on a décidé de l’offrir notre soutien.C’est dans nos intérêts d’avoir une présence en Inde car dans cette région,il existe beaucoup de cinéastes asiatiques.On désire assurer qu’ils trouvent une occasion à venir au Berlinale.

Lalit Rao : De nos jours,Berlinale Talent Campus fonctionnent au sein de 4 festivals de cinéma.Est-ce qu’il y a des projets d’élargir ce concept de Talent Campus aux autres festival du monde ?

Thomas Struck:On a un projet d ‘en faire un réseau mondial le plus puissant possible qui serait utile à tout genre du cinéma.Il faut cependant rendre compte du fait qu’il est impossible de le réaliser moyennant des capitaux et la main d’œuvre.

Lalit Rao : Vous voulez dire que les propositions doivent émaner de tous les deux côtés.Le festival doit également faire la preuve de son intérêt.Est-ce qu’ils doivent s’adresser à vous ?

Thomas Struck:Au Berlinale Talent Campus on a une politique.On ne s’intéresse vraiment pas à lancer un nouveau talent campus dans les pays européens surtout en l’europe occidental.On s’intéresse aux pays où la structure du cinéma d’auteur n’est pas si forte comme on le souhaitait.On souhaite travailler où l’industrie cinématographique manque d’une infrastructure comme en Inde où il existe une industrie commerciale mais les choses ne vont pas tellement bien pour le cinéma d’auteur indien.C’est une raison favorable pour ces films de sauter d’ici au Berlinale.Cela serait également intéressant si d’autres pays ont leur présence au Berlinale Talent Campus.Pour vous donner un exemple-on planifie l’établissement d’un nouveau Talent Campus pour toute la région méditerranéenne à partir de l’Afrique du nord,Liban,Israël jusqu’à la Turquie.C’est une autre région compliquée.

Lalit Rao : Comment pose-t-on sa candidature au Berlinale Talent Campus ?

Thomas Struck:Une chose est claire qu’il n’y a aucune règle à suivre sauf le tournage d’un échantillon d’une minute.Il y a aussi une compétition qui est basé autour d’un thème quelconque.En 2004,au Berlinale Talent Campus,on a organisé une comptétion qui avait « Le football » comme son thème.Celui-ci s’intitulait « Shoot Goals Shoot Movies ».C’était une compétition spéciale.On pouvait tourner un film d’environ 5 minutes sur n’importe quel thème lié au football.Les résultats étaient tellement intéressants voire créatifs.Cela nous a offert une perspective tout à fait différente sur un sport tellement connu que le football.On ne peut la voir ni à la télé ni dans les films car ces projets ont été réalisés à l’échelle de base.L’aspect surprenant de cette compétition est le fait que les œuvres des pays fanas du football comme la France,l’Italie et l’Angleterre n’ont pas été tellement créatives.Les œuvres ingénieuses sur ce théme provenaient des pays où ce sport n’est pas si populaire comme l’Inde.Elles étaient à la fois créative et plein d’innovation.On voit donc l’émergence du cinéma numérique crée une approche tout à fait dissemblable du langage cinématographique.Etant content de ces résultats,on avait décidé de continuer avec la compétition qui tourne autour d’un « thème ».Pour Berlinale Talent Campus 4 qui aura lieu au mois de février 2006,on offre la possibilité aux jeunes cinéastes de poser leur candidatures en tournant des courts-métrages sur le thème « Faim,nourriture et goût».Donc tout ce qui a un rapport au thème de nourriture pourrait être tourné en un court métrage.N’importe qui pourrait concenter sur ce thème car les processus créatifs de préparer de la nourriture et tourner un film sont plus ou moins semblables.La plus importante chose est de noter que les bons cuisiniers at les bons cinéastes partagent la même philosophie.Ils agissent au niveau local mais ils pensent à l’échelle globale.

Interview réalisée à New Delhi le 17 juillet 2005 par Lalit Rao lors de Osian Cinefan 7ème Festival du Cinéma Asiatique 2005

Interview with Filipino director Mike Meily

2008-02-05T03:14:00.000-08:00

9th IFFK 2004 (10th-17th Dec 2004 )

Interview with Filipino director Mike Meily

Lalit Rao: It is not so often that comedies from Philippines are shown in International film festivals. Your film "Crying Ladies" is a hilarious comedy. How different is it from other films from Philippines ?

Mike Meily :Most of comedy films made in Philippines are very physical. A lot of these comedies are shot to make people laugh. This does not apply to serious cinema. In such films gags as well as jokes are repeated off and on. In a way my film "Crying Ladies" is a pure slapstick comedy. Satirical comedies have been made in Philippines. One good example of such movies is "Is your heart beating" a film made by Mike de Leon in 1979.

Lalit Rao: What was your idea behind making "Crying Ladies"?

Mike Meily: During late 80s,I saw a documentary about funeral practices in Philippines. I was quite fascinated by such a work. This work enabled me to imagine different kind of ironies about a crying woman. One could wonder if a crying lady cries a whole day, would she be laughing the next day? Would a crying lady hire professional mourners when one of her family members dies? These are some of the questions I thought while writing the script of this film. Everything started for me when I won a script writing competition. It was my own project. My career got a boost as I got a scholarship from French cultural attaché to study cinema at ESEC in Paris for eight months. I studied in France and after the completion of my course, I went back to Philippines. I started working as a producer for T.V. commercials. All this happened in 1991. This is the manner in which I came into cinema. Apart from making films I still do T.V. commercials.

Lalit Rao : What is the current state of cinema in Philippines?

Mike Meily: It is sad to hear often that Filipino cinema is dead. I personally feel that it is always important to consider quality than quantity. We could be producing 25 good festival films which is more important than just making 100 films. Ten years ago 200 films used to be made in Philippines. As far as this year is concerned, we would be lucky in Philippines if our annual production output touches a figure of 60 films. The audience in Philippines is more focused on watching big films as well as T.V.

Lalit Rao :Tell us more about the representation of various characters in your film "Crying Ladies"?

Mike Meily: There are five key characters in my film. It is true that mourning is a key element of this film but these characters are mourning for different reasons. For example: The son of the old man is mourning as his father has died and it is his duty to do so. There is also an actress of yesteryears who is portraying a crying woman but she is mourning as she feels that by doing such an act she would be able to make people recognize her. There is a character who is shown having numerous affairs. For her mourning is an act of charity as it cleanses her soul. There is a character of old widow who mourns as she is feeling the loss of a loved one. My film has numerous sub themes. One key element is the question of identity. The Chinese young man living in Philippines is ashamed of being chinese. He feels that he does not relate to that image. He believes that being Chinese is like being traditional. There is a common belief that such people have to confront numerous prejudices. He is also embarassed due to the fact that his father was a womanizer. That is precisely why he does not want to do anything with his father. This film has also portrayed the great desire among many Filipino people to go abroad. This is a convenient escape from the harsh realities of life. A lot of Filipino women go to Japan to work as maids. It is a noble idea to go abroad to work but problems arise when a lot of children are left without parents. In Philippines many doctors go abroad to work as nurses. This is extremely sad. What many earn is not enough. These are some of the ugly facets of Filipino social life which have been depicted in my film.

Lalit Rao: What has been the response to your film in Philippines?

Mike Meily: It was a very successful film for the year 2004. This film earned more than $ 1 million even while being a critical success. In Philippines, it won major film awards. According to Filipino cinema evaluation board films produced in Philippines are evaluated and entertainment tax is fixed according to various ratings. If a film gets "A" rating it does not have to pay taxes. In 2004 only two films out of 70 received this rating and my film was one such film. In this manner "Crying Ladies" was exempted from paying taxes. This film was also shown in U.S.A. where it got good reviews from New York Times, Village Voice, Los Angeles Times etc. My film was also shown in the Asian cinema category at Montreal world film festival 2004.Despite the fact that it was not so well promoted it managed to have four full house shows.

Lalit Rao : Could you tell us more about your next film project?

Mike Meily: I am currently working on a film called "Passion". This film talks of Jesus Christ, America and contemporary society in Philippines. The reason why I have decided to make this film is that for many Filipino people the ultimate goal in life is either to possess an American visa or to be able to go to America. Many people feel that America visa is of immense value. There is a character in my film who works on a travel show. He offers himself to be crucified in exchage for a visa. All this happens during lent season. My primary motive behind this film is the fact that U.S.A. plays an important role in the life of Filipino people. It is also true that Christianity enjoys immense popularity in Philippines. We were even colonised by Spain which makes us different. So naturally there is a question of loss of identity. I want to portray all these aspects in my next films.

Lalit Rao interviewed Mike Meily in Thiruvanathapuram on 14/12/2004 during 9th International Film Festival of Kerala 2004

Interview with Iranian cinéaste Mohsen Makhmalbaf

2008-02-05T02:54:00.000-08:00

Film Critic Lalit Rao spoke to Iranian Cinéaste Mohsen Makhmalbaf in New Delhi on 18/07/2004 during 6th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2004.

Interview with Iranian cinéaste Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Lalit Rao: On numerous occasions you have quoted famous Iranian poet Rumi: "The truth is a mirror that falls from the hand of God and shatters into pieces. Everyone picks up a piece and believes that that piece contains the whole truth, even though the truth is left sown about in each fragment." What have you been trying to prove by quoting Rumi ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:Behind this example there is one truth.Truth is not one thing.It is about the people.It is like anger. You are a fascist if you think that truth is in your hands.Clerics think that truth is in their hands.If you do not agree with them then they think that you are against them.It is like dmocracy based on different values.If there is only one way to portray truth then all the people are wrong.A piece of truth in your hands shows that you are so small.

Lalit Rao:In the present age good films are not being made.Do you think that filmmakers have run out of good stories ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:According to me there are 2 kinds of filmmaking.For example:Hollywood & Bollywood.For these people cinema is like a factory.Film making is like a business for them.They want to make as much money as they can.As far as their films are concerned,they don’t take risks.They follow each ohers’ successes.Their films are full of usual clichés like sex,violence,melodrama etc.These films are far from true life.In real life there is no violence,song and dance as portrayed in Bollywood movies.Go to USA even there the life of the people is same life that of Indian people,Iranian people.In cinema viewers want to forget their life.For me cinema is like a mirror through which I can put in front the soul of life.

Lalit Rao:Could you please tell more about your cinema school “Makhmalbaf Film House” ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf: Makhmalbaf Film House is both a film production house as well as a film school.8 years ago my daughter Samira Makhmalbaf decided to learn the art of cinema.I accepted to be her guide.Makhmalbaf Film House has some of my friends and even their children as students.The ministry of culture in Iran did not accept my proposal to set up a film school as they said that they were already fed up with one Makhmalbaf (Mohsen Makhmalbaf) and stated that they did not want hundreds of other Makhmalbafs to emerge.At Makhmalbaf Film House it is not only the cinema which is taught.Apart from the art of cinema,subjects like Sociology,Economics,Management,Psychology etc are also taught.The students are initiated in editing,sound recording,acrting,script writing etc.We also have courses on understanding poetry,swimming,reading the map of Teheran and even riding a bicycle.There are 30 lessons divided in two sections.The first section is about cinema and art.The other section is associated with understanding life.

Lalit Rao:You became famous in Iran with your fourth film “Boycott” (1985).What are your views on your earlier films ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:When I was young my grand mother told me that I would go to hell if I see films.My father-in-law was a political activist.In my younger days,I was a partisan against Savak (Shah’s secret police).I was jailed for 41/2 years.when I left prison in 1979 many of my friends had become politicians.Before the 1979 Islamic revolution Iranian people were leading a wrong life.After the revolution everybody thought that if Shah is driven out of Iran everything would be OK.I therefore became writer and filmmaker to change the minds of Iranians.My films can be divided into 3 phases.1) Religious 2)Socio-cultural 3) Philosophical.My film “Nights on the Zayandeh Road (1991) was critical of power structure in Iran.

Lalit Rao:You have made films and documentaries.Which film of yours do you rate as your best work ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:I believe in the subject of the film I am making.Whenever I make a film,I am the other Mohsen Makhmalbaf the director.When a baby is born it is born to a mother not to a girl.I usually focus on one subject.This subject comes insides my heart and captures it.Before 9/11,I was working on my film “Kandahar”.As you know there were 3 million Afghan refugees in Iran.They were being driven out of Afghanistan and even they were forced to quit Iran as Iranian government was unable to deal with them.I secretly went to Heart and was shocked to see the plight of 20,000 Afghan refugees living in deplorable conditions.They were dying because of hunger.I wanted to inform international community of their miserable existence through my film.It must be kept in mind that I portrayed human suffering before 9/11.When my film was shown in Cannes,a lot of journalists asked me “Why this film”? “What is the subject of the film” ? Through my film,I wanted to have world’s attention on Kandahar.I felt as if “Kandahar” is not my film but my pain.The refugees were running from Taliban by entering Iran but Iranian police puhed them back.I had just one question.“What is my role as a filmmaker”? My making a film is not like business for me.By making films,I want to change something in the minds of my audience.I questioned myself.What do I do for poor people ? While making “Kandahar”,I was busy working for Afghan people by establishing an NGO:ACEM (Afghan Children Education Movement).When I make a film,I change myself too.My organisation Makhmalbaf Film House helped 17 Afghan filmmakers in producing their films.

Lalit Rao:Music is considered blasphemous in Islam.What is your opinion regarding musical score in your films ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:Personally,I do not believe in this.I believe in god but I am not a muslim (in the strict senses of the word).I do not however use much music in my films.I make films not music.

Lalit Rao:What kind of public do you have in your mind when you make your films ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:Earlier,I had Iranian audience in my made when I made films.Little by little,when I became famous,I realised that my life is my work.I love poor people and always think of doing something for their welfare.Something which can change their lives.Nevertheless,it must be remembered that humanity is not only for people.Even rich people need love and affection.

Lalit Rao:Why did western world take so long to recognise the importance of Iranian cinema ?

Mohsen Makhmalbaf:Before 1979 Islamic revolution there was a lot of feel good cinema made in Iran.There were some good films too.These films included “Cow”-Dariush Mehrjui,films by Sohrab Shahid Saless,“The night it rained”-Kamran Shirdel,Black is the house-Farroukh Farroghzad.After Islamic revolution the aesthetic quality of Iranian cinema increased as government stopped exportation of foreign films to Iran.May people thought that Iranian cinema would be dead.That is not what has happened.There was strict censorship which ensured that films involving sex and violence were not made.I think that these were good steps for changing the atmosphere of Iranian cinema.In Iran we have more than 30,000 poets but not many painters.Now we have more than 500 filmmakers.We were very serious not to follow Hollywood cinema.

Entretien avec la réalisatrice Iranienne Rakhshan Bani Etemad

2008-02-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

Rakhshan Bani Etemad

La réalisatrice Iranienne.

Entretien réalisé à Vesoul le 04 février 2006 par Lalit RAO
lors du 12ème Festival International du film Asiatique de Vesoul 2006 (31 Jan-7 Fév 2006)

Remerciements à Shahla Nahid

A travers ses films tantôt documentaires tantôt fictions,Rakhshan Bani Etemad a réussi à exercer un statut primordial au sein de la cinématographie Iranienne. Ses films offrent un insigne point de vue sur la société Iranienne en plein mutation entremêlant un style théâtral avec toutes les émotions humains. Chef de file des femmes cinéastes Iraniennes,Rakhshan Bani Etemad tout comme ses homologues masculins, s’intéresse bien à l’humanité qu’elle met en valeur dans ses films “Gilaneh” et “Sous la peau de la ville” montrés lors du 12ème Festival International du film Asiatique de Vesoul 2006.

Lalit Rao : Votre film “Gilaneh” évoque deux guerres différentes.L’une de l’an 1988 avec l’Iraq et l’autre de l’an 2001 de l’Amérique contre l’Iraq. Pour quelles raisons avez-vous voulu parler de deux époques différentes ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad: J’ai souhaité montrer la haine pour la guerre à travers ce film. Lorsque les américains ont attaqué l’Iraq,on a senti comme nos ennemies étaient battus. De toute façon,il s’agissait toujours de la guerre. L’important pour moi c’était d’absolument dénoncer la guerre. N’importe quelle guerre.

Lalit Rao : Pourriez-vous parler un peu du système de production des films en Iran tout en décrivant votre collaboration avec le grand producteur Iranien Jahangir Kosari qui a produit quelques-uns de vos films ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad :La plupart des films Iraniens sont produits par des producteurs privés. Ils optent pour des prêts bancaires afin de financer leurs films.Après les sorties des films,ils sont obligés de rembourser l’argent emprunté avec de l’intérêt. Le cas de Jahangir Kosari est extraordinaire car chez nous en Iran il n’y a pas beaucoup de producteurs qui fournissent des capitaux pour des films d’auteur. Jahangir Koshari a soutenu beaucoup de femmes cinéastes Iraniennes comme Niki Karimi, Mona Zandi Haghighi, Maryam Shahriar, Manizeh Hekmat et Tahmineh Milani. Je suis contente que mes films produits par Jahangir Koshari ont trouvé également du succès chez le public. Ils ont remporté du succès aussi dans les salles de cinéma.

Lalit Rao : Vous avez fait tantôt des films de fiction tantôt des documentaires. Comment établissez-vous un équilibre entres ces deux genres différents ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad : Je n’ai pas arrêté de faire des films documentaires. En fait,beaucoup de mes long métrages sont basés sur mes films documentaires. Donc dans cette manière,je fais beaucoup de recherche pour mes films. Je tourne des films documentaires afin de respirer.

Lalit Rao : Dans votre film “Sous la peau de la ville”,le personnage de Tuba vers la fin du film en se mettant en colère dit « à qui montrez-vous ces films ».Comment doit-on interpréter cette réplique ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad : Tout d’abord,c’est envers moi-même la cinéaste que Tuba montre sa colère. C’est comme Tuba me demande si votre film va émouvoir les autorités. Je dois également mentionner que la télévision iranienne a refusé de diffuser mon documentaire. Elle m’a demandé de renoncer à cette fin. On n’a pas accepté cette condition. Par conséquent, on n’a pas vendu ce film à la télévision Iranienne. J’ai osé à refuser car j’avais le soutien de mon producteur. Si c’était un autre producteur, je serais obligée de le vendre à la télévision Iranienne.

Lalit Rao : Comment se fait-il que vos films marchent aussi bien dans les salles de cinéma comme dans les festivals de film ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad :Je pense que mes films marchent bien car ils sont appréciés par le public car les thémes de mes films sont universels. Je cite le cas de mon film « Gilaneh » comme exemple. Ce film a été aimé dans les pays comme La France,L’Italie où il n’y a aucune guerre. Je crois que mes films remportent du succès car le public peut s’associer à la guerre. Mes films parlent de l’homme et de l’humanité. Ils ne parlent pas d’un pays spécifique.

Lalit Rao : Avez-vous toujours réalisé des films que vous aviez souhaité tourner ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad :En ce qui concerne mes films,je les ai faits dans la manière je voulais les faire. Je n’ai pas fait les films que je n’ai pas pu faire.

Lalit Rao : Quels sont les cinéastes qui vous ont influencé ?

Rakhshan Bani Etemad :Je ne peux pas nommer un cinéaste particulier qui m’a inspiré. J’admire bien le travail des cinéastes à la fois orientaux et occidentaux qui ont fait des films sociaux. Mes cinéastes préférés sont ceux qui ont décrit des réalités sociales. Voilà pourquoi mon travail ne ressemble pas à celui d’un autre cinéaste. C’est le sujet qui me guide lors du tournage de mes films. En fin du compte, pour moi le cinéma n’est pas un but mais un moyen pour décrire la réalité sociale.

Interview réalisée à Vesoul le 04 Février 2006 par Lalit Rao pour “Objectif-Cinéma” lors du 12ème Festival International du film Asiatique de Vesoul 2006 (31 Jan-7 Fév 2006)

An interview with Brazilian producer director Andre Klotzel

2008-02-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

André Klotzel (São Paulo, 1954) is a Brazilian film director, producer. He studied cinema at university of Sao Paolo and worked on around ten feature and short films before directing his début feature "A Marvada Carne".His film production company Superfilmes was founded in 1983.He works as a producer for Bras Filmes.

Lalit Rao conducted this interview with Brazilian Filmmaker André Klotzel when he attended 7th International Film Festival of Kerala,2002

LALIT RAO:How did you get into Cinema ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL:I got into Cinema because of my father. I was very much interested in photography. Ever since I was a young boy,he taught me photography. I got hooked to itI always wanted to be a movie photographer. Later I got into a film school. From the 1st year ,I started making films. I made a lot of “small Bollywood” kind of low budget films which had links to the market. This phenomenon doesn’t exist any more.It was in 1970s.I began working as a technician, production assistant, camera assistant and then assistant director. I made short films in Film School. After 10 years of my Film School ,I made my first film.

LALIT RAO: Could you please tell us more about Brazilian politics and military rule especially the way it influenced Brazilian Cinema ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL:I think that answering this question is a task of a journalist. It is a question of theory. There were two phases of films made under military rule. In the 1st phase films were made under strict censorship and control. Those were the classics.1970 was the period of underground films and “Cinema Novo”. Embrafilme the film company was owned by the state. Military government had nationalistic approach to movies. From 1974 onwards military government began to offer more liberty and there was less censorship. Military government gradually opened the path towards democracy.

LALIT RAO: What is the response of Brazilian society to various aspects of culture such as Cinema, Music, Theatre, Literature etc ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL: Brazilian Society is a complex society like any other society in the world could be. It is a society full of contradictions. You must view Brazilian Society as how the society as a whole gives one response. There are many responses. It is a dynamic process. If you classify Brazilian society as onesided, it is a pessimistic outlook. Many things don’t have a special character. They have emerged on global way of thinking. There is no originality. That is precisely what I would call sub culture. In Brazil we had Global approach in massive way but not without contradictions.

LALIT RAO: Which filmmakers have influenced you the most ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL: Well, there have been quite many of them. I always remember clearly one film “Macunaima” made by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade. I have also been tremendously influenced by many other films of Nelson Pereira Dos Santos who is considered as Brazil's master of Cinema Novo, with whom I worked as an assistant especially a film called “O amuleto de ogum ” (THE AMULET OF OGUM).It is not considered to be the most important film made by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos. I was in film school when I first saw it. It was very important for me.

LALIT RAO: Could you please explain the use of illustrations in your film “Memorias Postumas”?

ANDRE KLOTZEL: They have been used for remembrance, a feeling of Nostalgia. They have a descriptive meaning and fit very well with the music. The illustrations radiate the ambiance and the feelings of the time.

LALIT RAO: Why does Bras Cubas’ mother say that Life is a lottery?

ANDRE KLOTZEL:It is a part of jokes. Such kind of hilarious things can only be expected from Bras Cubas. Even his father says that with 2 lottery tickets you have a better chance. Among many other elements there is an essential element of irony and joke in his sayings.

LALIT RAO: How do you explain the fact that “Memorias Postumas” moves at a very leisurely pace ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL: I told everyone linked to the film that it should be done on a small level. Nobody talked loud on the sets. Everybody could still hear the things that were said. The images didn’t shout. It was as if the entire film was whispering. I wanted that it had to whisper. Even the sound was kept softer to get intimate feeling.

LALIT RAO:Was “Memorias Postumas” a difficult book to transform into a film ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL:It is not just any other book. It is a classic of Brazilian Literature. “Memorias Postumas” was written by Machado de Assis. It is considered as the best Brazilian literary oeuvre of all times. It is making more than an adaptation. It is like Shakespeare who did Hamlet. You can do many versions of it.I read “Memorias Postumas” for the first time at the age of 14 when I was in high school. I felt that I should read it again and immediately thought of making a film out of it. I quickly wrote a version of the film and the first feeling was very authentic. People liked it very well. If you take it you should know its institutional value. It will have other kinds of pressure. I always knew that I would feel all kinds hassles. The feeling at the top of my mind was that let me carry through and not worry about anything. Everyone told me that my Film version was very much faithful to the book, if not like the book. Sometimes you have to relate to the movie and faithful means changing. I chose to represent the book in a faithful way. I deemed that if my motivations were correct it should be as good as it should be.

LALIT RAO:“Memorias Postumas” has been a completely different film from your previous two films. How would you explain this change of style ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL:I am not very much worried about the concept of style. What I like to do is to make a film different from the others. If there is a style it would surely come. Style is something you are not very much aware of or can manipulate. It happens the way it should be. You cannot have style beforehand. I don’t like the obligation of a certain kind of film. I like different kinds of films. People ask me what kind of genre do I prefer. I don’t prefer a particular kind of genre. As I like cinema I like the possibility of trying to do different things. I like to do many things but I am not capable of doing every one of them because of my style. That is the style.

LALIT RAO: What kind of audience are you aiming at when you make your films ?

ANDRE KLOTZEL: The audience I aim is Brazilian audience. But I still feel that if a film is good in Brazil it can be good anywhere in the world. When I make films I make them my own way, I forget the audience as I am the audience. I make the kind of films I myself personally would like to see.

Interview with Indian cinema expert Connie Haham about Indian popular cinema and its commercial prospects in France

2008-02-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

Connie Haham is a Paris based American film critic who specializes in Indian popular cinema. Her articles about Hindi films have appeared in publications like Le Monde Diplomatique, Asian cinema, Screen. It was none other than the reigning Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan who has written a forward to her book about Manmohan Desai entitled "Enchantment of the Mind: Manmohan Desai’s Films" published by Roli Books, New Delhi.

An interview with Connie Haham about Indian cinema and

its commercial prospects in France.

Lalit Rao : Que signifie le cinéma d’auteur indien ? Quelle est sa spécificité ?

Connie Haham : “Cinéma d’auteur” is a very French view of the cinema world. It is a useful term for those filmmakers who leave their stamp on every aspect of filmmaking. I doubt that the majority of directors do in any country, including France. In the French context, only one filmmaker is really known, partly because his films have been shown here in cinemas and on TV and books have been written about him: Satyajit Ray.

Lalit Rao : Quelle est la différence entre le cinéma d’auteur indien et d’autres cinémas d’auteurs nationaux ? Est-ce que l’appellation « le cinéma d’auteur indien » est juste ?

Connie Haham : I don’t see any difference. If one uses the French term “auteur”, it could only apply to a few directors in any country. Not many filmmakers write their own scripts, know how to light a scene, choose the music and also organize all aspects of the filmmaking. If they did, the credits at the end of films would not be so long. I think for many years New Wave cinema was considered, at least by some of its directors, to be correspond to the New Wave in France with its notion of “auteur”. If one takes that point of view, then anyone with an idea, funding and a camera could be an “auteur.” In the French context, the French critics have had a big role in educating the public and film buffs into thinking in terms of “auteurs”. A wider view of the “auteur” notion would have us apply the term to any director who leaves his/her mark on film after film. In that case, Shyam Benegal, Guru Dutt, and others — Mrinel Sen, etc. could be considered “auteurs” in the same way that Martin Scorcese or Ken Loach would be. “Auteur” implies writing. If a director writes his script — and dialogues!! --, in my mind, he/she can be considered an “auteur” in India or elsewhere. Satyajit Ray did not write the dialogues for Shatranj Ke Khilari; I’m not sure about his other films . . . Woody Allen does write his own scripts and dialogues.

Lalit Rao : Quelle est la place du cinéma indien régional dans le contexte du cinéma indien ?

Connie Haham : You would be better able to answer this than I. I haven’t checked recently to see how regional films are doing in terms of numbers of films made and box office figures. Mani Ratnam has shown two things in the last 15 years, that cinema from the south should not be ignored and that, if cinema from the South is to be well known throughout India and abroad, films need to be remade in Hindi. In the context of what we see in France, regional cinema is fairly well represented. Bengali films, Tamil films have been able to be shown in France over the years. The interest in Hindi cinema is very recent.

Lalit Rao : Quels sont les autres cinémas indiens ?

Connie Haham : I haven’t seen many regional movies since the 80s. The “other” Indian cinema that is a worldwide phenomenon is that made by international Indians like Deepa Mehta and Mira Nair and even Gurinder Chadha, interestingly, all women. Other NRI filmmakers who live with a foot in two cultures, e.g., the spate of movies made by second generation Indians in the U.S., are making a difference in India and other parts of the world. I don’t know that they are given a special category in studies of Indian cinema within India.

Lalit Rao : Dans quelle mesure les cinémas indiens régionaux sont différents l’un de l’autre ?

Connie Haham : My answer could only be based on hearsay and vague impression. I haven’t seen enough Marathi, Orissa, etc. films to make a good judgement.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien populaire Bollywood est soutenu pas les médias français ?

Connie Haham : Yes. There is still some condescension when discussing the phenomenon of Bollywood, but there is also interest. Many magazines and television reports talk about Bollywood as though it were something new and something that the West has “discovered”, almost as Columbus “discovered” the new world. Bollywood was there long before the French press got interested in it, and few reporters have in-depth knowledge of Indian popular cinema or the culture it springs from, but they are now talking about it regularly.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma Bollywood a réussi en France ?

Connie Haham : It has been a success in as much as people now know what it is. Twenty years ago I said “cinéma populaire indien” and got blank stares. After Devdas posters were on kiosks around Paris for weeks in 2002, people had a mental image of that popular cinema. Financially, the French box office is a drop in the bucket for producers in India, but Indian cinema has succeeded in being acknowledged rather than ignored.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien Bollywood a suscité le renouvellement de la passion pour le cinéma indien ?

Connie Haham : I’ve never seen much passion for Indian cinema here. Satyjit Ray’s films were admired by serious cinema goers. Passion? No. Are there people who have developed a passion for Indian cinema such as never existed before? Surely. But I would say Bride and Prejudice and Monsoon Wedding have done more to awaken a longing for more good films from India or about Indians than Lagaan or Devdas or Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.

Entretien avec Jean Marc Thérouanne sur le cinéma Indien

2008-02-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

Entretien avec Jean-Marc Thérouanne, Délégué Général du Festival International du Film Asiatique de Vesoul sur le cinéma indien et son avenir en France.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien populaire Bollywood est soutenu pas les médias français ? Si oui, pourquoi/si non, pourquoi ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne :Oui, certains médias Français soutiennent ou du moins rendent compte du cinéma indien populaire de Bollywood. « Les cahiers du cinéma » et « Positif » en rendent compte dans leurs colonnes, mais des journalistes des web magazines comme « Fantastikasia » ou « Cinéasie » le soutiennent, Canal Plus et ARTE sont deux chaînes de télévision qui ont présenté des films dit de Bollywood.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma Bollywood a réussi en France ? Si oui,pourquoi/si non,pourquoi ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : Grâce au travail d’un distributeur de films comme « Bodega Films », le cinéma Bollywood a suscité un certain intérêt de la part des cinéphiles et au-delà, mais ce sont surtout les films Bollywood de qualité (Devdas,Lagaan, Swades etc )

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien Bollywood a suscité le renouvellement de la passion pour le cinéma indien ? Si oui,pourquoi/si non,pourquoi ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : Je pense que le cinéma indien est surtout connu par la figure emblématique de « Satyajit Ray », chef de file du cinéma parallèle. Déjà par le passé, on s’est intéressé au cinéma populaire de qualité. Je pense à « Pakeeza » (Cœur Pur) de Kamal Amrohi, à « Pyaasa » (L’Assoiffé) de Guru Dutt, à « Phanniyama » de Prema Karanth, à « Awara » (Le Vagabond) de Raj Kapoor qu’à d’ailleurs présenté le Festival International des cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul dans le cadre d’une rétrospective en 2003 . Le distributeur français controversé : « Films sans frontières » en diffuse régulièrement depuis de nombreuses années. En France, la présentation de « Devdas » de Sanjay Leela Bhansali à Cannes en 2002 a permis de faire redécouvrir le cinéma indien populaire de qualité (c.f. « l’hommage à Raj Kapoor ») à Cannes cette même année, a ouvert une brèche et suscité un intérêt pour le cinéma Bollywood. Mais cet intérêt est limité sauf au sain de la communauté indienne de France.

Lalit Rao : Dans le passé (Il y a 15 ans) on méprisait le cinéma indien populaire, pourquoi de nos jours,il y a de l'intérêt pour ce cinéma qui a été bien rejeté en France ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : Il faut toujours faire une différence entre les critiques, les cercles de cinéphiles et le grand public. Il y a toujours eu un intérêt pour les grands du cinéma indien populaire, notamment ceux des années 50-60. Dans le monde, le cinéma indien populaire est très goûté notamment dans des pays arabes,d’asie centrale, en Iran etc. En Europe, les grands classiques du cinéma indien populaire tel « Mother India » sont appréciés par un public restreint de connaisseurs. Le problème avec Bollywood c’est que les studios de Bombay produisent des films populaires de médiocre qualité. Avec la vague montante du cinéma asiatique venue de la Chine, de la Corée, du Japon, de Hong Kong puis du Singapour et de la Thailande, les regards se sont de nouveau tournés vers le cinéma indien notamment populaire de Bollywood pour en extraire des perles rares. Ce cinéma a profité de l’intérêt pour le middle cinéma suite au lion d’or reçu à Venise pour « le mariage des moussons » de Mira Nair.

Lalit Rao : Selon vous qui est le public qui voit des films indiens ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : Un public de gens cultivé qui apprécient les vrais grands auteurs comme G.Aravindan, Shyam Benegal, Pankaj Butalia, Ritwik Ghatak, Aparna Sen etc ceux qui aujourd’hui sont les vrais héritiers de l’immense Satyajit Ray. Je pense en tout premier lieu à Buddhadeb Dasgupta et à Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Ce public cinéphile souvent amoureux de l’Inde et de sa civilisation s’intéresse aussi au bon cinéma populaire.

Lalit Rao : Que pensez-vous de l'avenir du cinéma indien en France ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : L’avenir du cinéma indien en France passe par la découverte du cinéma d’auteur indien. Il y a un gros travail à faire en ce domaine. C’est une des raisons qui nous conduit à rendre hommage pour le 13ème Festival International des Cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul (13 au 20 Février 2007) à APARNA SEN en sa présence. C’est notre contribution à tenter de réparer une injustice et combler une lacune. Je pense profondément que le cinéma d’auteur indien est très mal connu et mérite sa juste place.

Lalit Rao : Selon vous pourquoi de nos jours, ne voit-on pas des films indiens d'auteurs ?

Jean Marc Thérouanne : On voit hélas trop peu de cinéma d’auteur indien en France. Il faut souligner les efforts de distributeurs comme « Les films du Paradoxe », « les grands films classiques » ou « CTV ». Je pense que c’est parce que le cinéma indien est très enraciné dans sa culture et donc plus difficile d’accès à la mentalité occidentale.

Interview with Japanese cinema expert Donald Ritchie

2008-02-03T22:48:00.000-08:00

A lot has been written about Donald Richie but one thing remains to be told for sure.He might be an American in body but remains a true Japanese at heart.Donald Richie is acquainted not only with Japanese cinema but almost with everything related to Japanese culture.His knowledge of cinema goes beyond the realms of Japanese films.He is familiar with almost all aspects of Asian cinema.He is known for his frank views on cinema.It is something which will always remain at the back of his mind.

Donald Richie was in New Delhi,India to receive a lifetime achievement award for Distinguished Contribution to Asian cinema.

A soft spoken gentleman,Donald Richie spoke to Lalit Rao in New Delhi,India during 7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival (15-24 July 2005)

An interview with Mr.Donald Richie

By Lalit Rao

Lalit Rao:We are living in an era in which young Japanese filmmakers like Shinji Aoyama,Hirokazu Kore-eda,Takeshi Kitano etc are easily getting funds for their films.At the same time,the old established masters like Shohei Imamura and Nagisa Oshima are having tough time obtaining finances for their films.Why is that so ?

Donald Richie:This is happening because the buyers’ market has changed in Japan . Initially when Imamura and Oshima were making their films,Japanese audience for film had sunk dramatically because of the advent of television.Everybody in Japan thought that there would not be any more films.In the 1980s,1990s,a certain kind of film became much more popular.Consequently young filmmakers were able to get funding from people who did not ordinarily fund films like whisky people,electronics people,automobile people etc.The problem is that because it has become a best selling item,the people who invest their money insist on a genre product.If there is a strong director who would fight against that,it would be Kore-eda.He refuses to make films,he does not believe in.Everybody else will make films for their sponsors.Japanese cinema is no more a directors’ cinema.It is a producers’ cinema.

Lalit Rao:You spoke of a decline in Japanese cinema.Which period were you referring to ?

Donald Richie:I suppose Japanese cinema started to decline when television made its first appearance in 1958.That year the audience for Japanese cinema started to decline.By 1960 the audience dropped by half.50% of Japanese movie goers no longer saw Japanese films.Everybody was at home watching television.One thing is for sure. People discovered soon how stupid it is to watch television. So they became tired of it. They started to watch films. Seeing a film is a social occasion.You would take your girl friend to see a film.It is very special.Then there are many “event” pictures like Spielberg’s films.In the same way in Japan,anything with “Takeshi Kitano” becomes an event.One has to go see it.It makes a lot of money this way.

Lalit Rao:Isn’t it a bit unusual especially in Oshima’s case because he got funding from Anatole Dauman of Argos films.

Donald Richie:One time,Yeah !

Lalit Rao:Why did this trend not continue in his case ?

Donald Richie:Kurosawa got his funds practically all of it from abroad.Nobody would fund expensive films during 1960s and 1970s.Now they would fund this.New expensive films being made now a days are mainly war films.They are about world war 2 japanese soldiers,sailors.This is happening because Japan is moving very rapidly.

Lalit Rao:When we talk of Japanese cinema normally the images which comes to mind are that of Mizoguchi,Ozu,Kurosawa,Kitano etc.The usual suspects if I may call so. People hardly know about Pink Eiga,Nikkatsu Roman Porn.Why is that so ?

Donald Richie:This is because these films were never exported.What happens is that when a film goes abroad,it is usually sent to a film festival.If it wins a prize,it helps the box office in the domestic country.The foreign buyers are more interested in a film which wins a prize at let us say Cannes.So these award winning films would be screened in England,U.S.A.,France etc.Pink Eiga never ran anywhere.There was no way one could get subtitled prints.One man who is very much interested in this genre …..

Lalit Rao:Koji Wakamatsu ?

Donald Richie:Yeah.I mean one critic who is very much interested in this genre is Mark Schilling.Mark helps the film festival in Udine.

Lalit Rao:Udine film festival recently did a Pink Eiga programme.

Donald Richie:Yeah ! This year they organized a programme on Nikkatsu action drama which is a very well made genre by itself.A year before that Udine film festival showed a programme of Pink Eiga films.So due to the efforts of critics like Mike Schilling many more critics are getting interested in this genre like Jasper Sharp.

Lalit Rao:The gentleman who runs midnighteye website ?

Donald Richie:Yeah,Jasper Sharp also has affiliations with various film festivals.He is picking up these neglected films.This means that now a days the companies which were involved in distribution of films are releasing DVDs.For example-Criterion.It has released 5 Seijun Suzuki DVDs.This is the way these minority pictures are getting into a majority market.

Lalit Rao:Do you mean to say that Seijun Suzuki made some of these Pink Eiga films ?

Donald Richie:Yes,I do !.

Lalit Rao:These Pink Eiga films were completely ignored in the past.So,I would like to know from you why at this particular point of time there is a sudden interest in Pink Eiga. ?

Donald Richie:There was no way for people to see them.Pink Eiga films were never exported.

Lalit Rao:So these films had limited domestic release.

Donald Richie:Yeah that is correct.One could see Pink Eiga in 1960s or 1970s.Now you can’t see it anymore because they discovered that cinemas screening these films do not make money.Nobody goes to watch these films because now you have the internet which is the real thing.Pink in Japan means cover up.

Lalit Rao:I believe even today there are a lot of porno films made in Japan.

Donald Richie:Yeah but they are not being made for an audience.They are being made for tapes and DVDs.These films are made in two versions.Covered up for Japan and no cover for Los Angeles,New York etc. to be used on internet.There is a lot of Japanese porn.We are no longer talking about films.

Lalit Rao:One way Pink Eiga films cannot be ignored,is it due to the fact that many of Japanese cinema’s established directors started their careers making these films.For example-Kohei Oguri ?

Donald Richie:This is because they no longer had film schools.The studio system had collapsed.One established director could not teach another one.So there was no way one could learn filmmaking.

Lalit Rao:Couldn’t they have worked as assistant directors ?

Donald Richie:The Japanese film industry had collapsed.It is like Hollywood.Hollywood has collapsed.One sees an MGM film.MGM doesn’t make films.It buys films.Shochiku doesn’t make films.It buys films and shows them as products.They are film distributors.

Lalit Rao:As an expert on Ozu,I would like to ask you a question.Hou Hsiao Hsien has made a film (Café Lumiere) dedicated to Ozu.Now a days numerous seminars are organized on Ozu.Almost every film festival talks about Ozu.What is Ozu’s relevance in contemporary world cinema ?

Donald Richie:There is a very deep connection.Ozu,among other things,was a modernist. To be a modernist is to subscribe to a certain minimal.Less is more kind of aesthetic which may have started in 1930s with people like Lubitsch.This has now become a major avant garde tendency.So we have people like Jim Jarmusch,Hou Hsiao Hsien,Coen brothers who are doing the same kind of thing.All of these filmmakers have been influenced by Ozu

Lalit Rao:Kiarostami too !

Donald Richie:Yeah.That is true.His influence comes in a number of ways.Firstly it is cinema pure because it is only cinema.That is all it wants to do.The other thing is that it comes as a designed trend where you get rid of complications,the commercial image.“Anime” is so full of details that we don’t know where to look.You could call it modernism.Most people now call it post modernism because it sort of cannibalizes itself.It fits the zeitgeist.I think that this is one of the reasons.

Lalit Rao:As an expert on Japanese cinema living in Japan,I would like to know how is Japanese cinema promoted within Japan especially at various film festivals like Tokyo, Osaka,Yamagata etc.?

Donald Richie:Everybody has now discovered that one of the best ways to promote a film is to send it to a film festival.This way many people get to see it.If it wins a prize,one can release it in cinema.There are many film festivals in Japan.Serious film festivals who are interested in films not as a product are few.For example-a film festival which is interested in cinematic quality is Locarno.I don’t think Cannes is a serious film festival.This should be the model for Japan.There is only one film festival in Japan which is of that high caliber.That film festival is Filmex.

Lalit Rao:In Tokyo.

Donald Richie:Yeah.It is Tokyo’s second film festival.The International Tokyo Film Festival is too heavily compromised by business.The films which they show are films which already have titles in Japanese.These films are going to be shown one week after the festival is over.This is just a display for the coming product.People who think about films don’t pay much attention to Tokyo International Film Festival.Everybody goes to attend Filmex.

Lalit Rao:What is Japanese government especially ministry of culture doing to promote Japanese cinema ?

Donald Richie:The Japanese government keeps talking about it.Now the government wants to create the film schools.What a disaster ! If the government gets into anything ! You know what the Indian government does to Indian cinema.Any governments which gets into film business wants to make commercially viable films.I don’t have any great hopes.One good thing that has happened is that Japanese ministry of culture has managed to get some money.It has now become somewhat independent of the major government in film work.It has shown new south Korean cinema.The government money has gone into the showing of these films.They have invited Tony Ryans who has done a big event on Korean avant garde films in Tokyo with Japanese money.This is extremely interesting.This is brand new.This is something which is just happening.

Lalit Rao:A lot of Japanese directors have the feeling that their films are uniquely Japanese in nature.They believe that their films have a certain amount of japanness in them because of that foreigners would not be able to understand them.Why do they have this sort of feeling especially Mizoguchi ?

Donald Richie:That is true.Mizoguchi never thought of about being Japanese.He was much more innocent back then.Ozu never tried to be Japanese.Ozu thought that he was International.He thought of himself as a modernist.He liked Lubitsch,Laurel & Hardy. He thought that he was making that kind of films.

Lalit Rao:Ozu was a big fan of King Vidor.

Donald Richie:I am sure he must have seen a lot of King Vidor films.What really influenced him were the bluebird films,the early comedies.These Japanese filmmakers did not intend to be spokesmen for Japan.Kurosawa said that he only makes films for younger Japanese. He never made films for foreigners.I do not know a single Japanese director who makes films for foreigners.I don’t think that they think about foreign markets which is one of their problems.Sometimes you hear of Japanese directors going abroad particularly now a days.This does not mean anything.

Lalit Rao:According to you in real terms,when did west first take note of Japanese cinema ?

Donald Richie:The 1st Japanese film shown abroad was in 1928.It was called “Crossroads”. It was shown in Berlin.Murnau saw it.Eisenstein was in Germany at that time.He saw it. They did not like it but they saw it.In 1934,in U.S.A.,a Naruse film “Kimiko” was shown.It got fantastic reviews.However,it took “Rashomon” in 1950 to make western world take serious note of Japanese cinema.

Lalit Rao:So “Rashomon” was a real trendsetter ?

Donald Richie:Yeah.Rashomon was a real trendsetter.Rashomon got the whole world talking about Japanese cinema.Oh,here is the cinema no one has ever heard of.After that Japanese films were sent to various film festivals.Ugetsu won a prize,Life of Oharu,Gates of hell won a prize.All of a sudden the sun rose on the new Japanese cinema.

Lalit Rao:Do you think the current situation of Japanese cinema is really pathetic ?Is there still some hope for new,young filmmakers ?

Donald Richie:Well.as always it is all very commercial.All of the “manga” films,all of these “anime” films tend to make a lot of money.They also tend to cost a lot of money.The films that are “chic” like Kitano cannot make any money.There are films by “Miike” which are shocking.There are films by “Aoyama” which are trendy.

Lalit Rao:Miike makes a film every 2 months.

Donald Richie:Everyone.He makes films to order.He is a craftsman.Somebody says I want a film like that.He will make it.One of the things which matter is that the distribution system for Japanese films within Japan is very bad.America has a hegemony of practically all cinemas.Right now,in every neighbourhood at least 2 cinemas would be showing Star Wars.The American hegemony means that there are no cinemas left for Japanese cinema unless it is a Toho handkerchief film or a Shochiku action film.

Lalit Rao:Handkerchief film means a tear jerker ?

Donald Richie:Yeah a tear jerker.Yochi Sai’s film “Blood and Bones” got distribution only because it had Shochiku money in it.The other film by Yoichi Sai like “All under the moon” was shown only in one cinema.It played for several weeks but it was screened in only one cinema.In main districts Japanese films are usually shown only in 1 cinema unless they are on a chain.So there is much demand for these cinemas.For example-“The buried tree” by Kohei Oguri.It is being shown in only 1 cinema in Shinjuku.This is Oguri.His films have not been shown nationally.You cannot see his films in Kyoto,in small towns as there are no cinemas.The distribution for independent films is extremely bad which is unfortunate because there is no audience for such films.

Lalit Rao:Since past few years a new trend has developed within Japanese cinema.It concerns Japanese animation.Why do think Japanese animation is getting more and more popular at different film festivals all over the world ?

Donald Richie:One of the things that has happened is that animation is much more inexpensive now.Before nobody could really afford to make animation films as it was very expensive.They would send these films to Manila,Singapore etc.It is cheaper to make a “Manga” film,an “Anime” film than to make a regular film.Everybody can make something now.Japanese people ever since 17th century have been extremely fond of caricature. They are extremely fond of making action simplified.In the old days when it was expensive to make such films,they would change the action only 3 frames.The boom in “Manga” books and the boom in “Anime” collided and made this new trend.This is leveling out now.The one film which made a lot of money is “Swept away”.But the next one “House of moving castle” did not make that much money.Miyazaki says that he is not going to make any more films.He says that he is going to stop making films.He says that everytime.There is another trend which is different from disneyfied fairy tale anime like “Akira”,“Ghost in the shell”.

Lalit Rao:Mamoru Oshii !

Donald Richie:Yeah that’s right.These films are much more dark,much more futuristic,more more Ridley Scott.I don’t know whether such films will continue or not.Japan is a land of fashions and fads.The things don’t last very long in Japan.I think that the new portable handsets will change the shape of films too.To what direction,I don’t have any idea.

Lalit Rao:Since funding of films is not readily available,have the Japanese filmmakers taken to DV mode in a big manner ?

Donald Richie:I don’t think that they are so much interested in technique.The DV cam is a little bit too clunky for them.It is not quite up to the cutting edge.What they do use all the times are new video cameras,plain video cameras,big ones.I think that all new Japanese films are being made this way.Young people in Japan are making more films than ever.Every high school in Japan has a film club.There are film festivals like PIA which sponsors a lot of these young filmmakers.There are a lot of young cineastes,contests and events.Many people are making a lot of amateur films than they used to do.It is so simple.It is so inexpensive.This means that Japanese cinema is going to get a lot of new directors and a lot of different kinds of directors than we have now.

Lalit Rao:Lastly,I wish to know about the state of film criticism in Japan.Are there a lot of film magazines in Japan ?

Donald Richie:The state of film criticism in Japan has been fairly lamentable.There isn’t any film criticism in the english sense of the word.It has never been in Japan.I don’t know about other Asian countries.In Japan,there are reviewers who usually parrot whatever the producers say.Thoughtful critics have no place to publish.Japanese newspapers don’t carry thoughtful criticism.We don’t really have thoughtful film magazines in Japan except for Kinema Junpo which is not all that thoughtful now.

LR:Is Kinema Junpo a film journal ?

DR:Yeah it appears every month.We have people like Hiroshi Komatsu,Tadao Sato.These people publish but not where the public would read them.The people who would be ones to be telling us about Japanese film trends are only publishing in a very slow media.It is in a hardcover book form which people cannot afford to buy.Nobody really cares to read them.In U.S.A.,a critic like Pauline Kael whatever her limitations were,was read nationwide.She was very serious.Tadao Sato has no readers like that.Nor do I ! There is a very specialized audience for these books.That is why the general public is not informed.Moreover,the general public is not interested.

Entretien avec le cinéaste Ouzbek Yusuf Razykov

2008-02-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

Yusuf Razykov

Le cinéaste Ouzbek

Lalit Rao 06. 02. 2006 Rencontres

"Les hommes ouzbeks préfèrent ne rien faire au lieu de faire un travail mal payé. Ils estiment qu’en faisant un travail mal payé,ils mettront leurs statuts en danger. "

Le cinéaste Ouzbek Yusuf Razykov maîtrise bien l’art d’avoir toujours le mot pour rire tout en gardant une mine sérieuse. C’est une qualité qui se reflète également dans ses films. "Le Gardien" relate le changement psychologique d’un jeune homme qui se voit contraint de s’occuper de sa belle-sœur pendant l’absence de son frère. "Camarade Boykenzhaev" est une comédie désopilante sur un humble serviteur du parti qui remue ciel et terre afin de créer un cimetière international où les défunts de toutes les ethnies vivront en tranquillité absolue.Espérons que ces deux films appréciés par les cinéphiles lors de la 12ème édition du Festival International du film asiatique de Vesoul auront bientôt une sortie commerciale dans les salles françaises.C’est avec gentillesse que Yusuf Razykov a accordé un entretien à Lalit Rao le 6 Février,2006 à Vesoul lors de 12ème Festival International du film asiatique de Vesoul (31 janvier-7 février,2006)

Lalit Rao : Quel est le climat actuel de la production cinématographique en Ouzbékistan ? Est-ce que les films ouzbeks se font par le biais des coproductions avec d’autres pays ?

Yusuf Razykov: A l’heure actuelle la situation de la production cinématographique est plutôt en Ouzbékistan bonne étant donné le fait qu’on a des financements nécessaires pour le tournage des films. Les cinéastes Ouzbeks doivent soumettre leurs scénarios au gouvernement. Si un scénario réussit à plaire au gouvernement,il n’y a aucun problème de tourner celui-ci. Il faut aussi mentionner que la qualité technique des films est moins bonne vu que le matériel technique est ancien. Cela serait bien pour l’ensemble de l’industrie cinématographique ouzbèke si nous arrivons à renouveler nos équipements techniques. Il y a aussi des films commerciaux qui se font en vidéo. Quant à la question de co-production, il faut qu’il y ait une compatibilité entre les organismes ouzbeks et les autres pays qui souhaitent tourner chez nous en Ouzbékistan. Je voudrais bien mentionner que la société Ouzbek film a fourni des services de tournage aux cinéastes coréens,américains etc.

Lalit Rao : Qui est-ce qui vous avez voulu ridiculiser à travers votre film “Camarade Bokyenzhaev” ?

Yusuf Razykov: Tout d’abord,à travers ce film j’ai bien souhaité me mettre dans la situation de la moquerie. C’était comme je voulais détruire tout ce qui était associé à l’union soviétique. En fin de compte, je n’ai pas du tout voulu me moquer du personnage de Boykenzhaev étant donné qu’il recevait toujours des regards compatissants des spectateurs. L’essentiel est de savoir qu’une idée écrase l’homme et par conséquent cette même idée devient déformée.

Lalit Rao : Pourquoi votre film Ouzbek “Erkak (l’homme)” est également connu ailleurs sous un autre titre russe “Le Gardien” ?

Yusuf Razykov: C’est tout à fait vrai que chez moi en Ouzbékistan mon film est connu sous son titre Ouzbek “Erkak (l’homme)”.Ce titre montre la fonction du jeune homme en tant qu’un homme. En ce qui le concerne, il est énervé d’être le gardien de sa belle-sœur. Le film montre comment au fur à mesure dans le film il devient un homme.

Lalit Rao : Votre film “Camarade Boykenzhaev” est basé sur la pièce radiophonique écrite par Abdur Abdurrazakov. Pourriez-vous parler de la collaboration qui s’est produite entre vous lors du tournage de ce film ?

Yusuf Razykov : A vous dire la vérité, il n’y avait aucune collaboration entre nous. On m’a donné la pièce radiophonique que j’ai insultée,abîmée, gâchée afin de tourner mon film. C’est uniquement à deux reprises que j’ai rencontré Abdur Abdurrazakov. C’était un homme correct qui s’est comporté d’une manière digne. Il n’ a pas du tout souhaité s’immiscer avec mon processus créatif lors du tournage du film car il était convaincu que le cinéma n’avait rien à voir avec sa pièce radiophonique !

Lalit Rao : D’après votre film “Erkak” les personnages masculins sont tous des fainéants. Qu’avez-vous souhaité en montrant une telle image satirique de la population masculine ouzbèke ?

Yusuf Razykov : D’une façon générale, vous avez absolument raison lorsque vous dites que les personnages masculins de mon film sont tous paresseux. J’aimerais bien vous expliquer pourquoi ? En général, les hommes ouzbeks préfèrent ne rien faire au lieu de faire un travail mal payé. Ils estiment qu’en faisant un travail mal payé,ils mettront leurs statuts en danger. Voilà pourquoi je les ai montrés tels qu’ils sont.

Lalit Rao : Ces derniers temps pourquoi est-il difficile de voir des films Ouzbeks dans les festivals du cinéma ?

Yusuf Razykov: Ce n’est pas à moi de répondre à cette question vu que je ne travaille plus pour l’organisme « Ouzbek Film » ! De toute façon, nous nous efforçons beaucoup afin de promouvoir le cinéma ouzbek dans le monde entier. Je dois souligner que parmi les pays de l’Asie centrale comme le Kazakhstan,le Kirghizstan et le Turkménistan ,chez nous en Ouzbékistan on a la meilleure cinématographie nationale. Par exemple le cinéma muet. Personnellement, j’aurais aimé faire plus pour la promotion du cinéma Ouzbek mais malheureusement je ne suis plus le directeur du « Ouzbek Film » Dans le passé nous avons fait des programmes du cinéma Ouzbek à Lincoln Center, à Pusan,à Kolkata,au Japon grâce au soutien offert par « Japan Foundation ».Avec Italo Spinelli d’Asiatica film mediale de Rome,nous ferons un programme du cinéma Ouzbek.

Lalit Rao : Bien que vous ayez été formé sous l’ancien régime Russe au VGIK de Moscou,vous tournez actuellement des films Ouzbeks à une époque où l’Ouzbékistan est un pays indépendant de l’Asie centrale. Comment voyez-vous cet écart entre deux époques différentes dans lesquelles vous avez vécues ?

Yusuf Razykov: Selon moi, il y a deux réponses à cette question. Si l’union soviétique ne s’était pas écroulé en 1990,elle aurait survécu pour au moins 50 ans. Donc la génération qui a connu une telle expérience continue à vivre. Lorsque je vivais sous l’ancien régime il y avait plus de possibilités de tourner des films. Or, une chose est claire c’est que ma vision du monde,ma conscience n’ont pas changé.En ce qui concerne la présente génération,je pense qu’il est devenu de plus en plus difficile de la former en tant que cinéastes.

Interview réalisée à Vesoul par Lalit Rao le 06 Février 2006 lors du 12ème Festival International du film Asiatique de Vesoul 2006 (31 Jan-7 Fév 2006). Remerciements à Eugénie Zvonkine.

Entretien avec Adrien Gombeaud sur le cinéma Indien

2008-02-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Entretien avec Adrien Gombeaud sur le cinéma indien

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien populaire Bollywood est soutenu pas les médias français ? Si oui, pourquoi/si non,pourquoi

Adrien Gombeaud : Le cinéma indien n’occupe pour l’instant pas une place différente dans les médias que d’autres cinéma (argentin, mexicain…) On mesure encore mal son importance. La foule sur les grands boulevards prouve que la présence à Paris de Shah Rukh Khan était un évènement aussi important que celle de Tom Cruise mais n’a pas bénéficié d’une même place dans les médias, ce qui était une erreur de jugement. Si le cinéma indien n’occupe pas plus de place dans les média, c’est surtout parce que ces sorties concernent surtout Paris et que les médias nationaux ne peuvent pas accorder énormément de place à des films que les lecteurs ne peuvent pas voir. Autre raison, il séduit surtout les jeunes critiques qui bien souvent n’ont pas encore de pouvoir de décision dans les rédactions.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma Bollywood a réussi en France ? Si oui,pourquoi/si non,pourquoi.

Adrien Gombeaud : Vu la nature de ces films (acteurs non-connus en France, format de plus de trois heures…), on peut dire que le cinéma Bollywood a réussi en France même si les chiffres ne se montrent pas encore toujours spectaculaires. Il possède aujourd’hui un public très limité mais bien réel. Il y a plusieurs raisons. A quelques exceptions près (films chinois/Hong Kong), seul Hollywood produit désormais des grands spectacles traditionnels. Bollywood remet en place des codes du grand cinéma classique et glamour tout en lui ajoutant une touche d’exotisme. Il est frappant notamment d’observer la féminité des actrices qui a quasiment disparu chez les actrices occidentales.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien Bollywood a suscité le renouvellement de la passion pour le cinéma indien ? Si oui, pourquoi/si non, pourquoi

Adrien Gombeaud : Pas pour l’instant. La raison est simple : le public n’a pas eu accès à beaucoup de films indiens.

Lalit Rao : Dans le passé (Il y a 15 ans) on méprisait le cinéma indien populaire, pourquoi de nos jours, il y a de l'intérêt pour ce cinéma qui a été bien rejeté en France ?

Adrien Gombeaud : Tout d’abord, parce que les films de Bombay ont tout de même progressé en qualité depuis dix ans. Ensuite, car les jeunes critiques qui n’ont pas été formés par la nouvelle vague, mais par la VHS ou le DVD, ont aujourd’hui la possibilité d’écrire soit dans les journaux et revues, soit sur le net qui joue un rôle plus important que la presse écrite dans le phénomène.

Lalit Rao : Selon vous qui est le public qui voit des films indiens ?

Adrien Gombeaud : Essentiellement des jeunes cinéphiles parisiens.

Lalit Rao : Que pensez-vous de l'avenir du cinéma indien en France ?

Adrien Gombeaud : Tout dépend des indiens qui font les films. S’ils sont bons, il peut tout à fait y avoir de façon très ponctuelle de très gros succès indiens en France.

Lalit Rao : Selon vous pourquoi de nos jours, ne voit-on pas des films indiens d'auteurs ?

Adrien Gombeaud : Parce qu’ils ne sont pas beaucoup vus dans les festivals où les distributeurs font leur marché.

Propos recueillis par Lalit Rao, critique de cinéma

Entretien avec Jean Michel Frodon sur le cinéma Indien

2008-02-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

Entretien avec Jean Michel Frodon sur le cinéma Indien

Lalit Rao : Que signifie le cinéma d’auteur indien ? Quelle est sa spécificité ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Il me semble qu'il y a encore moins de "cinéma d'auteur indien" que "cinéma indien" ou de "cinéma commercial indien", il y a un cinéma d'auteur bengali, un cinéma d'auteur kéralais, etc. Par ailleurs, je crains que le cinéma d'auteur en Inde ait souffert plus que profité du mode de soutien accordé par Doodarshan, et qui a constitué un petit ghetto coupé du reste du cinéma et du public.

Lalit Rao : Quelle est la différence entre le cinéma d’auteur indien et d’autres cinémas d’auteurs nationaux ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Imposssible de répondre, les "autres cinéma d'auteur nationaux" constituaient pratiquement autant de cas particuliers.

Lalit Rao :Est-ce que l’appellation « le cinéma d’auteur indien » est juste ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Non (cf question 1)

Lalit Rao : Quelle est la place du cinéma indien régional dans le contexte du cinéma indien ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Elle est évidemment décisive, encore que je crois qu'on peut davantage parler d'un "cinéma indien" qu'autrefois, au temps de la seule domination de Bombay, au niveau industriel, surtout en ce qui concerne la distribution, il y a une complicité objective, sinon organisée entre les grandes puissances de Bollywood et de Madras, appuyée sur le goût toujours pas démenti du public pour le(s) cinéma(s) indien(s).

Lalit Rao : Quels sont les autres cinémas indiens ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Je ne comprends pas

Lalit Rao : Dans quelle mesure les cinémas indiens régionaux sont différents l’un de l’autre ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Il me semble que les différences sont si grandes, et les spécificités à chaque fois si particulières qu'il faudrait au moins 50 pages (et un savoir que je suis loin de posséder suffisamment) pour répondre correctement à cette question.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma indien populaire Bollywood est soutenu pas les médias français ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Non, les médias français ont essayé sans beaucoup de succès de profiter d'un effet de mode, vite évanoui.

Lalit Rao : Est-ce que le cinéma Bollywood a réussi en France ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Non

9) Est-ce que le cinéma indien Bollywood a suscité le renouvellement de la passion pour le cinéma indien ?

Jean Michel Frodon : Non

Propos recueillis par Lalit Rao, critique de cinéma

12e FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU FILM ASIATIQUE DE VESOUL 2006

2008-01-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

12e FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU FILM ASIATIQUE DE VESOUL

(31 Janvier-07 Février, 2006)

Compte rendu Par Lalit RAO

Depuis sa création, le Festival International du Cinéma Asiatique de Vesoul joue le rôle important de découvreur des cinématographies de tout le continent asiatique, du proche à l’extrême orient. A travers sa programmation méticuleuse conçue par des passionnés du cinéma asiatique, le festival de Vesoul offre la possibilité de découvrir voire redécouvrir des cinématographies asiatiques à la fois poétique et violente. Pour sa 12ème édition, l’équipe du festival, sous la direction Martine Thérouanne et Jean Marc Thérouanne, a élaboré un programme somptueux qui comprenait des œuvres majeures du cinéma asiatique, d’un hommage à Hou Hsiao Hsien et de la sélection « regards de femmes, regard sur le cinéma ouzbek ».

Pour la soirée d’ouverture, le public festivalier a assisté à la projection en première française d’un film coréen "Neige d’Avril" (April Snow) de Hur Jin Ho. Histoire d’amour éblouissante, ce film tendre raconte les conflits émotionnels de deux individus trahis, In-su et Seo-young, dont les époux respectifs étaient impliqués dans un accident de voiture. Ces deux victimes du calvaire se vengent de leurs époux infidèles en tombant amoureux l’un de l’autre. Le cinéaste coréen Hur Jin Ho a débuté en tant qu’assistant à la réalisation travaillant sur les films de Park Kwang Su notamment "To the starry island et "A single spark". L’univers de ses films, Christmas in August et One fine spring day, évoque un style à la Ozu, reflets saisissants de la simplicité et de l’exactitude du traitement des rapports amoureux. Les personnages principaux des films en compétition incarnaient la volonté humaine de faire face à des difficultés en dépit des obstacles insoutenables. Le cinéaste turc Erden Kiral s’est inspiré d’un voyage qu’il avait effectué avec le maître du cinéma turc, Yilmaz Guney, pour son film "Yolda", qui évoque l’époque difficile où son pays était gouverné par les militaires. La force du héros se trouve dans sa survie contre le système militaire. Récit de la fuite de prison de Yilmaz Guney et histoire d’un peuple moralement oppressé, Yolda oscille entre la liberté et la captivité. Dans le film Erkak (Le Gardien) le cinéaste ouzbek Yusuf Razykov met en scène la métamorphose psychologique de son jeune héros Djamhid. Après le départ de son frère à l’étranger, il se voit contraint de s’occuper de sa belle-sœur. La vie devient difficile pour lui à la suite de l’absence inexpliquée de la jeune femme. La disparition de la femme mariée est un élément secondaire du film, Yusuf Razykov souligne d’autres soucis préoccupants tel la fuite des villageois ouzbeks à l’étranger en quête du travail. Ce conte lyrique dépasse la réalité de l’Ouzbékistan à travers des valeurs universelles. C’est la preuve qu’une bonne histoire est la seule clé majeure nécessaire pour la réussite d’un film. C’était précisément le cas du film "Full or empty" du cinéaste iranien Abolfazl Jalili. Le film, tourné en format numérique raconte les aventures rocambolesques d’un jeune instituteur Navid Raisi qui, tout en cherchant un poste de professeur en littérature persane, tombe amoureux d’une jeune fille. Malgré ses difficultés de production, le film Full or empty témoigne de la société iranienne contemporaine, à mi-chemin entre documentaire et fiction. Bien que le film donne l’apparence d’une simple histoire d’amour, le vrai message de celui-ci reste dans la manifestation de tous les maux universels tels l’ignorance, la guerre, la condition des femmes, le chômage.

Les films de la grande dame du cinéma iranien Rakhshan Bani Etemad sont dotés d’une forte conscience sociopolitique. Son nouveau film "Gilaneh" dénonce durement les horreurs des guerres connues par son pays. Le film évoque à la fois deux guerres totalement différentes : la guerre de l’Iran contre l’Iraq et la guerre des Etats-Unis contre l’Iraq. C’est Gilaneh, une villageoise veuve qui est soumise à la tragédie de ces guerres. Son fils rentre grièvement blessé lors de la guerre contre l’Iraq. Dans le même temps, Gilaneh se rend à Téhéran avec sa fille à la recherche de son beau-fils déserteur. Gilaneh dépeint les êtres humains dont les vies ont été dénaturées par les séquelles des guerres.

Le meilleur film de cette section était sans doute un film chinois ayant un titre atypique "Grain in ear" réalisé par Zhang Lu. Le deuxième film de ce romancier talentueux jette un regard poignant sur les tribulations de la communauté minoritaire coréenne en Chine. Le film décrit les déboires de Cui Shun-ji, une mère célibataire d’origine coréenne dans une petite ville chinoise du nord. Elle gagne sa vie en vendant du kimchi, sur son tricyle. Cui Shun-ji vit quelques moments heureux avant de se venger suite aux trahisons des hommes ayant traversé de sa vie. Grain in ear est certainement une honnête représentation des problèmes des communautés minoritaires. Il est fort possible que l’authenticité de son scénario résulte de l’appartenance de Zhang Lu à la communauté coréenne en chine.

Le Festival International du Film Asiatique de Vesoul propose une programmation d’une grande précision avec une thématique différente chaque année. Pour 2006, la section « regards de femmes » a offert une occasion précieuse de faire la découverte de quelques films marquants. Tous les spectateurs étaient fortement impressionnés par les images mélancoliques réalisées par les meilleures femmes cinéastes asiatiques. Dans "Waiting for the clouds", la grecque Ayeshe, qui a dissimulé sa véritable identité, part à la recherche de son frère disparu. Ce film turc de Yesim Ustaoglu traite avec un intérêt considérable la question des identités au sein d’une société multiculturelle. Le film libanais Dans les champs de bataille de Danielle Arbid évoque les premières expériences amoureuses de deux jeunes filles en 1983, lors d’une guerre civile à Beirut. Les deux filles font face à deux guerres tout à fait différentes : l’une à l’extérieur, l’autre à l’intérieur.La perte des sentiments humains est magistralement décrite par la réalisatrice japonaise Naomi Kawase dont le film Suzaku décrit la douloureuse vie des villageois japonais à Nara, où une famille se désintègre suite au délaissement d’un projet de chemin de fer. Dans son film Xiu Xiu, l’actrice chinoise Joan Chen montre une période scandaleuse dans l’histoire de la Chine. L’histoire se déroule en 1975 à une époque où des millions de jeunes intellectuels sont envoyés à la campagne dans le cadre des « mesures de rééducation des masses ». La jeune héroïne Xiu Xiu se rend bientôt compte de la vacuité de la chine de Mao. Le gouvernement chinois a interdit la projection de ce film vu son contenu politique. La réalisatrice chinoise Ning Ying a choisi l’essor immobilier à Pékin comme l’un des principaux thèmes de son nouveau film Un taxi à Pékin. Ce film fait le récit de Dezi, un chauffeur de taxi à Pékin qui gagne bien sa vie. La vie devient un véritable calvaire pour lui lorsque sa femme et sa maîtresse se sentent privées de son affection. Mais le plus beau film de cette section est sans doute le film hongkongais Le chant de l’exil, qui fait la lumière sur le rapprochement d’une fille avec sa mère. La réalisatrice Ann Hui a puisé quelques-unes de ses propres expériences personnelles afin de créer l’histoire d’une jeune fille formée à Londres qui ne s’entend pas bien avec sa mère d’origine japonaise. Le film rayonne moyennant la prestation inoubliable de Maggie Cheung dans le rôle de la jeune fille désemparée. A la disposition de ses cinéphiles fidèles, la 12ème édition du festival international du film asiatique de Vesoul a également mis une sélection des films ouzbeks. Camarade Boykenzhaev est une comédie désopilante sur un humble serviteur du parti qui remue ciel et terre afin de créer un cimetière international où les défunts de toutes les ethnies vivront en tranquillité absolue. C’est avec ce film que Yusuf Razykov ridiculise l’hypocrisie des politiciens en montrant l’écart entre leurs valeurs et leurs actions quotidiennes. Les deux films d’Elior Ishmukhamedov étaient tout à fait hors du commun. Tendresse (Nezhnost) met en scène un univers idyllique où tout le monde cherche un peu d’amour, y compris un jeune adolescent, Sanjar qui doit faire face à ses premières déceptions amoureuses. La jeunesse d’un génie avait comme thème l’enfant Avicenne et son profond amour pour la connaissance et le savoir. Pour le film Baie amère, la réalisatrice ouzbek Kamara Kamalova a créé un tendre monde des enfants dans une petite ville ouvrière. Quant à Zulfikar Musakov, son film Garçons dans le ciel s’est avéré comme une comédie sociale remettant en question le statut des adolescents ouzbeks. C’est grâce aux hommages rendus à des génies du cinéma asiatique tels Lee Doo Yong (Vesoul 2005), Ezzatollah Entezami (Vesoul 2005), Chen Kaige ( Vesoul 2003) que le public cinéphile en France a réussi à connaître leurs œuvres mémorables. Cette fois-ci, le festival a rendu hommage au grand maître Taiwanais Hou Hsiao Hsien en présentant ses 10 films. C’était également l’occasion de voir Histoire de Taipei un portrait intime de la capitale Taiwanaise magistralement tourné par Edward Yang, sur lequel Hou Hsiao Hsien a laissé ses empreintes tant comme scénariste que comme acteur. Le film met en évidence une société Taiwanaise en pleine mutation dont les citoyens subissent une crise d’identité. Le festival s’est clôturé avec la projection d’une autre histoire d’amour, le film indien Mr and Mrs.Ayer d’Aparna Sen. Le film dresse un portrait touchant d’un voyage en bus entrepris par une femme hindoue mariée en compagnie d’un jeune photographe musulman. L’action de ce film se déroule en 2001 en Inde, où les émeutes sectaires ont provoqué des centaines de morts. L’égérie de Satyajit Ray, la réalisatrice Bengalie Aparna Sen, a fait ses premiers pas en tant qu’actrice dans son film Trois filles. Avec Mrs and Mrs.Iyer, elle a créé un film très simple sur un homme et une femme issus de deux communautés religieuses différentes, qui tombent amoureux malgré tout. Cyclo d’or : « Grain in ear » de Zhang Lu (Chine) Grand prix du jury international : « Erkak » (le Gardien) de Yusuf Razykov (Ouzbékistan) Cyclo d’or pour l’ensemble de son œuvre à : Hou Hsiao Hsien Prix du jury NETPAC (Network for the promotion of Asian Cinéma)« Gilaneh » de Rakhshan Bani Etemad (Iran) Prix Emile Guimet« Full or empty » d’Abolfazl Jalili (Iran) Coup de Coeur Guimet : « Nisshabd » de Jahar Kanungo (Inde) Prix Langues’ O« Full or empty » d’Abolfazl Jalili (Iran) Prix spécial Langues’ O« Nisshabd » de Jahar Kanungo (Inde) Prix du public« L’express des steppes » d’Amanzhol Aitouarov (Kazakhstan) Prix Jury Jeunes« Une étrangère dans sa ville » de Khadija al-Salami (Yemen)

Top 100 great Films to watch before World War III

2008-01-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

Algeria

Chronicle of Ember Years-Malek Lakhdar Hamina

Armenia

Avetik-Don Askarian

Austria

Der Schuler Gerber-Wolfgang Gluck

Australia

Return Home-Ray Argall

Argentina

Camila-Maria Luisa Bamberg

Buenos Aires Vice Versa-Alejandro Agresti

Belgium

Rendezvous a Braye-Andre Delvaux

Brazil

Vidas Secas-Nelson Pereira Dos Santos

Terra em Transe-Glauber Rocha

Bulgaria

The Goats' Horn-Metodi Andonov

Canada

Mon Oncle Antoine-Claude Jutra

Chile

Valparaiso mi Amor-Aldo Francia

La Frontera-Ricardo Larrain

China

Life on a String-Chen Kaige

Cuba

Lucia-Humberto Solas

Memories of Underdevelopment-Tomas Gutirrez Alea

Czech Republic

Marketa Lazarova-Frantisek Vlacil

The Cremator-Juraz Herz

Denmark

Flamberede Hjerter-Helle Ryslinge

Breaking the Waves-Lars von Trier

Estonia

Madness-Kaljo Kiisk

Finland

The Match Factory Girl-Aki Kaurismaki

The Unknown Soldier-Rauni Mollberg

France

Au Revoir Les Enfants-Louis Malle

La Religieuse-Jacques Rivette

Perceval le Gallois-Eric Rohmer

Aloise-Liliane de Kermadec

Germany

Stalingrad-Joseph Vilsmaier

Messer im Kopf-Reinhard Hauff

Die Blechtrommel-Volker Schlondorff

Martha-Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Greece

4 Seasons of the Law-Dimos Avdeliodis

O Thiassos-Theo Angelopoulos

Hong Kong

Boat People-Ann Hui

Happy Together-Wong Kar Wai

Hungary

Love-Karoly Makk

Szindbad-Zoltan Huszarik

Satan Tango-Bela Tarr

Igy Jottem-Miklos Jancso

Lady from Constantinopole-Judit Elek

Iceland

Biodagar-Fridrik Thor Fridriksson

Iran

Taste of Cherry-Abbas Kiarostami

Close Up-Abbas Kiarostami

The Cow- Dariush Mehrjui

The Cyclist-Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Still Life-Sohrab Shahid Saless

Black Board- Samira Makhmalbaf

Israel

Kadosh-Amos Gitai

Italy

La Strada-Federico Fellini

Il Caso Mattei-Francesco Rosi

Lamerica-Gianni Amelio

Ladri di Biciclette-Vittorio de Sica

Roma,Citta Aperta-Roberto Rossellini

Gospel According to St.Mattew-Pasolini

Japan

Hana Bi-Takeshi Kitano

The Eel-Shohei Imamura

The Ceremony-Nagisa Oshima

Kazakhstan

Contract Killer-Darejan Omirbaev

Kirghizstan

Beshkempir-Aktan Abykelikov

Latvia

The Shoe-Laila Pakalnina

Lithuania

Three Days-Sarunas Bartas

Nobody wanted to die-Vytautas Zalakevicius

Mexico

Amores Perros-Alejandro Inarritu

La Mujer del Puerto-Arturo Ripstein

Morocco

In search of my Wife's Husband-Abder Rahman Tazi

Netherlands

The Assault-Fons Rademakers

The Pointsman-Jos Stelling

New Zealand

Came a Hot Friday-Ian Mune

Norway

Junk Mail-Pal Sletaune

Insomnia-Erik Skjoldbjaerg

Peru

Caidos del Cielo-Francisco Lombardi

Poland

Birchwood-Andrzej Wajda

The Interrogation-Ryszard Bugajski

Blind Chance-Kryzsztof Kieslowski

Without Anaesthesia-Andrzej Wajda

Portugal

Aqua e Sal-Teresa Villaverde

Romania

The Oak-Lucian Pintilie

Russia

Kalina Krasnaya-Vasili Shukshin

Zamri Oumri Voskresni-Vitali Kanevski

Svoboda Eto Rai-Sergei Bodrov

War and Peace-Sergei Bondarchuk

Ordinary Fascism-Mikhail Romm

Serbia & Montenegro

Before the Rain-Milcho Manchevski

Guardian Angel-Goran Paskaljevic

The Garden-Martin Sulik

South Korea

Why did Bodhi Dharma leave for the west ? -

Bae Yong Kyun

Spain

El Sol del Membrillo-Victor Erice

Tesis-Alejandro Amenabar

Sweden

Hamsun-Jan Troell

My Life as a Dog-Lasse Hallstrom

God Afton,Herr Wallenberg-Kjell Grede

Fanny and Alexander-Ingmar Bergman

Switzerland

La Salamandre-Alain Tanner

Taiwan

Wedding Banquet-Ang Lee

Master of Puppets-Hou Hsiao Hsien

Turkey

Yol-Yimaz Guney

Somersault in a Coffin-Dervis Zaim

Venezuela

El Pez que fuma-Roman Chalbaud

Yugoslavia

Occupation in 26 Pictures-Lordan Zafranovic

Perfect Circle-Ademir Kenovic

“Keeping alive the passion for Asian cinema” !!!

2007-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

A report on Cinefan 2005 Asian Film Festival

7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005,

New Delhi (15-24 July,2005)

India is a land of contrasts.The same can be said about its film festivals too.There is a government run film festival-International Film Festival of India,held annually in Goa,which tries to compete with those run by erudite film professionals like Kolkata Film Festival and International Film Festival of Kerala.It is a different story altogether that the political powers looking after Indian cultural affairs wish to make a Cannes out of Goa film festival.This struggle for supremacy is taking place at a time when the number of film festivals in India is on a rise. One question needs to be asked by everyone concerned with cinema. Why should a film festival be organized in New Delhi ? The answer is simple. If a film festival is organized in New Delhi , it is relatively easy to get important festival films as various embassies as well as diplomatic missions guarantee that good films are brought for screenings. New Delhi also needs a film festival as the annual International Film Festival of India was moved to Goa. This worried New Delhi’s film aficionados to such an extent that it was felt in many of New Delhi’s cultural circles that no film festival would ever be organized in Indian capital. Their fears were laid to rest with the establishment of Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival,a festival whose primary aim is to acquaint Indian audiences with prominent Asian films.

This year,it was for the 2nd time that Cinefan collaborated with Osian-a leading Indian auction house for 7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005 New Delhi (15-24 July,2005). Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival is India’s only film festival which enjoys tremendous political patronage.This event saw more guests,more films and above all more audience.This time it was decided to organize this festival at a bigger venue-Sirifort which houses 4 auditoriums. This enabled many film buffs to watch in large numbers latest and best Asian films.There were many young new faces seen in the festival. This can be considered as one of this festivals’ major successes. Different people come to Osian Cinefan with different ideas related to cinema. Many cinephiles believe that it offers the best of Asian cinema for local audience. Osian Cinefan Asian Film festival is a much sought after event for International guests notably film festival programmers. They are of the opinion that it gives them a chance to see the Best of Indian cinema. A record of sorts was created when 23 Indian films were selected in 2 different sections namely “Indian competition” and “Indian Osean”.

The ten day festival was inaugurated on July 15 by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit.Cannes 2005 prix du jury winner “Shanghai Dreams” by Chinese auteur Wang Xiaoshuai was chosen as its opening film.Wang Xiaoshuai is no stranger to Cinefan. Most of his films have been part of past Cinefan editions. It was quite natural that his film was chosen as the opening film. “Shanghai Dreams”,set in the 1980s deals with a poignant moment in Chinese history when countless workers and their families were asked to settle in the poorer, barren regions of the country. It focuses on the displaced lives of a generation including a father and a young girl who had to move from Shanghai in the 1960s to the underdeveloped Guizhou province. Things change when China enters a new epoch and the dejected father longs to return to Shanghai. In the process he purposely destroys his 19-year-old daughter's first love with a local young man. The film is a realistic portrayal of the conflicts of human dreams.

Asian Competition :

Asian Competition featured an assorted blend of films from different countries including India.Most of these films were having their world or Asian Premieres at Osian Cinefan 2005.They included Vimukthi Jayasundara's Camera d'Or winner “The Forsaken Land” and Iranian director Rakshan Bani-Etemad’s latest film “Gilaneh”.Kohei Oguri’s “The buried forest” is an enchanting tale of fantastic stories told by some girls from a mountainous Japanese town. These stories offered a stark contrast to the mundane world inhabited by the adult people of the town.This film is an honest attempt to prove how storytelling can enhance our daily lives.In “Magdalena,The unholy Saint”,one of Philippine cinema’s best directors Laurice Guillen talked of human emotions like love, pain, faith, foregiveness,sin and salvation.Her film explores the theme of the Biblical Magdalene-the prostitute who became a saint.Magdalena denounces the prevailing hypocrisy evident in churches all-around Philippines.Male Homosexuality,a taboo theme for Turkish films was taken up by Ugur Yucel in “Toss Up”-a bitter account of emotional alienation.It takes place in three different visual and cultural atmospheres.“Toss up”-an impressive debut film,is a harrowing tale of two soldiers who find that the war has transformed their lives outright.The universal theme of war was also brought forward by Ho Quang Minh in his Vietnamese film “A time far past” although it remains in background.The film,based on a novel by Le Lu’s famous book “A distant past” depicts the opening up of a new Vietnam after its post-war isolation.The film charts the life of Sai-a young Vietnamese communist youth whose life runs parallel to the historic developments moulded by the war."The Hunter" can be termed as Kazakh cineaste “Serik Aprymov”’s most ambitious film to date.It depicts the initiation of a village boy Erken into the hunter’s way of life.The film is a brilliant Kazakh interpretation of the classic coming-of-age film.“The Hunter” combines mythological elements and a realist narrative mode in order to express the complexity and contradiction of two worlds: that of men and the more harmonious one of the beasts.In “Tear of the cold”,Azizollah Hamidnezhad gives a touching picture of Kurdish inhabited area of Iran.His film is a piercing story about the futility of civil war.Parsa Piroozfar is impressive as Private Kiyani who embodies unflustered calmness and humanism. Equally astounding is the performance by Golshifteh Farahani as Ronak an energetic Kurdish shepherd girl whose live is intertwined in an ingenuous love tale.Indian competitionIndian competition always tends to be a reflection of a chaotic,anarchic,passionate stories shot in a sprawling country.7th Osian Cinefan film festival organized a veritable feast of Indian films.They came from all corners of the country,in its many different languages.These films gave vent to anger against the ways of society sanctified by patriarchal traditions.“After the night ….dawn” by Sandip Ray based on a famous Bengali novel by Narayan Ganguly, is a gripping psychological drama about a close knit family whose relationships disintegrate after an earthquake.Set in Himalayas,Sandip Ray recounts a veritable fight for survival among the members of a family when it is hit by a severe shortage of food and water.“Raching Silence” is a unique film about noise pollution.In this film,“Jahar Kanungo” uses sound as noise,sound as rhythm and its cinematic expression.His film explores the sensitivities of a young male protagonist to the phenomenon of sound in its urban as well as rural manifestation.According to the director his film is the story is of a selfish creature who neither gives anything to the city nor to the village.He is finally rejected by both.

Asian Frescoes :

Asian Frescoes as Cinefan’s largest section screened 23 films which seized the magic and adventure of Asian cinema.“One night” is the maiden directorial venture by Iran’s best known actress Niki Karimi.This underground film tells the story of a fearless girl who spends a night hitching rides through the deserted streets of Teheran.She comes across three men,each with a different story to tell. “One night’s” strength lies in depicting feminine sensibilities vis a vis unstable status of male, female relationships.One more film dealt with the same theme involving human relationships but on a different level.Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming Liang offered his version of tragicomic reflections of the decline of human relationships.His impressive film, “The wayward cloud” gives us an idea about how pornography has become a modern cultural obsession. It develops in present day Taiwan as an implausible love story in the background of a severe global water shortage which is a metaphor for what people lack in life. The film abounds in the usual leitmotifs of Tsai’s provoking universe. They include claustrophobia and running water. This impossible screen love story is an ironic tale which manages to our attention to alienation, loneliness and the people’s inability to connect.

Indian Osean:

This section featured films made in various Indian regional languages. Most of these films highlighted the plight of Indian women who are ready to challenge orthodoxy. ‘Chausar’, by noted dramatist “Sagar Sarhadi”, is a resonant and hard hitting woman oriented tale based on mythological story “Mahabharata”.It delineates the abusive treatment meted out to women in the interiors of India especially in the villages and small towns. In an oppressive society,Sagar Sarhadi exhorts women to engage themselves in their own fights to tackle the menace of a tyrannical system. His film celebrates the liberation of womanhood from the clutches of a repressive society.Carte Blanche:Fortissimo FilmsOne of the world’s leading film sales organization,Fortissimo films has always aided Cinefan film festival to screen best films.The passionate response from Cinefan viewers inspired Osian Cinefan authorities to constitute a unique section of films owned by Fortissimo. “East Palace White Palace”-a controversial Chinese film with political and artistic implications by Zhang Yuan,proved to be a veritable feast for hungry eyes.The film depicts a nightlong interrogation of a gay man who is detained in a public park by a policeman. The political ramifications at play,imply not only a broader indictment of the repressive regime in China,but also address the issue of intolerance of human differences everywhere. “East Palace West Palace” has been hailed at various film festivals as the first ever gay film in Communist China.It triggered the wrath of censorship in communist China, and copies started to circulate in the West only after Zhang Yuan managed to smuggle the film’s negative out of China into France.Fonds Sud Cinema:A selection of films2005 marks the 20th anniversary of Fonds Sud Cinema-a film finance scheme which has fostered cinematic production in Africa,Asia and Latin America. This fund has undoubtedly made its mark on the international cinematic landscape. Fonds Sud cinema is funded in equal proportion by French ministry of cultural affairs and the Centre National de la Cinematographie (CNC).Its annual budget is around 2.5 Million euros.This year’s selection of Fonds Sud cinema films included 8 astonishing films displaying a delicate choice of themes in their study of devastated universe. One of these films “Cry no more” by “Narjiss Nejjar” is a sad tale of Berber women subjected to sexual servitude who attempt to break away from this curse. Nargis Nejjar portrays a real berber village Tizi where only paying male clients have the right to enter.The film is a well crafted melancholic tale depicting the harsh lives of women forced into sexual slavery. “Cry no more” is a passionate plea for women’s emancipation who are engaged in a fierce battle to free themselves from the clutches of male dominated society.Tribute to Hou Hsiao Hsien. A special feature of Cinefan film festival is its endeavor to familiarize Indian audiences with the works of various masters of Asian cinema in their presence.In 2004,Cinefan invited acclaimed Iranian cineaste “Mohsen Makhmalbaf”.This year Cinefan invited great Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao Hsien for a tribute.The master was himself present in New Delhi to introduce his last film “Café Lumiere”. Hou Hsiao Hsien,ably assisted by Chris Berry found time to interact with audience.All of his films especially “A time to live and a time to die” created an everlasting impact on festival audience as family structure portrayed in his films has a lot in common with Indian psyche.Special screeningsFor Cinefan 2005,a special independent section featuring films by masters of cinema was created in order to make viewers aware of their personal vision.A special mention must be made of 2 films which formed part of this section.In “Mama’s Guests”, veteran Iranian new wave icon “Dariush Mehrjui” created a sense of nostalgia for certain cherished traits of Iranian culture which are passing away fast. His film portrays an Iranian mother who receives a newly married couple at her house for the first time. “Mama’s Guests” depicts how such an arrival sets off a series of chaotic, humorous and poignant atmosphere in the entire neighbourhood. Atif Yilmaz-a veteran Turkish filmmaker can rightly be termed as “Turkish Rohmer” as most of his films are young at heart. His latest offering “Borrowed Bride” as an innovative tale of forbidden love. It can also be termed as an unorthodox love story framed against a background of dual identity. “Borrowed Bride” tells the tale of a "borrowed bride" Emine who is hired to tutor the young and playfully naïve Ali before he gets married to his fiancée. Emine accepts the offer to be a "borrowed bride" before her lover Hasan gets out of jail. But love takes no notice of Hasan, or tradition, and they become lovers, against all odds with fatal consequences.

Closing film : If there is one Indian filmmaker who makes people proud of the great Indian cinematic tradition,it is undoubtedly Buddhadeb Dasgupta.7th Osian Cinefan Asian film festival chose his latest offering “Memories in the mist” as its closing film. His film is the story of a father and a son against the backdrop of two different times and places.They parted from each other never to meet again …yet their thirst for life and the desperation for telling unspoken words made them meet in the strangest of situations.Buddhadeb Dasgupta talks about the strange,ever changing human relationships,combined with the grandeur of traveling theater troupe.“Memories in the mist” is embroidered with a series of surreal sequences tinged with a sense of humor.A brief word about the festival’s achievements.7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005 would long be remembered for making India’s young generation aware of Indian auteur cinema’s contribution towards cinema as a worthy art.To a great extent,Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005 changed the cinematic tastes of a generation fed up with mindless violence and sex shown in Bollywood cinema.

7th Osian Cinefan Asian Film Festival 2005 Awards:

Asian Competition

Best Film

Rindu kami padamu (Of Love and Eggs) (Indonesia),Dir Garin Nugroho

Best Actor
Parsa Pirouzfar-Tear of the Cold,Iran,Azizollah Hamidnezhad

Best Actress

Zhang Jingchou-Peacock,China,Gu Changwei

Special Jury Prize for Soundtrack

The Forsaken Land,Sri Lanka,Vimukthi Jayasundara

Indian Competition

Best Film

Reaching Silence,Jahar Kanungo

Best Actress

Trina Neelina Banerjee,Reaching Silence,Jahar Kanungo

Special Mention

Roopa Ganguly for her presence in Critical Encounter,Sekhar Das

Best Actor

Sabhyasachi Chakraborthy,After the Night ... Dawn,Sandip Ray

Special Jury Prize

Here,Soojit Sarkar

FIPRESCI Award

Tear of the Cold,Iran,Azizollah Hamidnezhad

NETPAC Award

The Black and White Milk Cow,China,Yangjin

Critics Award for Indian Film

Yesterday and Tomorrow,Ruchi Narain

L’accès à la popularité stupéfiante !!!

2007-12-28T04:47:00.000-08:00

9ème Festival International du film de Kerala 2004

(10-17 décembre,2004)

L’accès à la popularité stupéfiante.

Connaissez-vous des festivals de cinéma appréciés par tout le monde ? Perdu ! La réponse est assez claire.Les meilleurs festivals du cinéma ne sont pas ceux qui offrent soit aux spectateurssoit aux critiques uniquement la possibilité de voir des centaines de films mais ceux qui fournissent également la possibilité de faire de nouvelles découvertes.Si on arrive à rédiger uneliste de ces festivals (tâche difficile),il nous faudrait sûrement inclure un festival Indien.Il s’agit du festival international du film de Kerala.Dans un pays énorme comme L’Inde où le nombre desfestivals de cinéma (7 festivals) est aussi grand que la production annuelle des films (à peu près 850 longs-métrages),le festival international du film de Kerala par ses programmes méticuleuxa réussi à s’imposer comme l’un des meilleurs festivals du cinema.La 9ème édition du festival international du film de Kerala 2004 était un succés.Pour les spectateurs renommé pour leur cinéphilie,l’équipe du festival sous la direction de Madame Bina Paul Venugopalan a conçu un programme remarquable.Il y avait plus de 170 films dans 17sections,30 conférences de presse et plusieurs sessions de débats avec les cinéastes.La présence des maîtres comme Abbas Kiarostami et Tsai Ming Liang était une véritable aubaine car la projection de leurs films a donne naissance à des discussions ardentes sur le métier du cinéma.Quelques 4500 délégués ont été accrédités pour ce festival annuel qui se déroule aumois de décembre à Trivandrum dans le sud de l’Inde.Il faut bien analyser la section compétition pour trouver une représentation plus variée de l'état du cinéma dans le monde (de Bhoutan au Maroc,en passant par l'Inde,l’Iran ou la Chine).Cette fois-ci la section compétition consistait en 16 longs-métrages venant de l’Asie,de l’Amérique latine et l’Afrique.La plupart deces films racontait des conflits émotionnels subissent par leurs protagonistes.Parmi ces films,il y avait 7 films tournés par des cinéastes débutants.Le jury sous la présidence de Paul Leduc (Méxique) a décerné deux récompenses importantes.D’une part le film péruvien “Dias de Santiago” (2004) de Josue Mendez a été jugé comme le meilleur film,d’autre part le philippin Mark Meily a été choisi comme le meilleur réalisateur pour son film “Crying Ladies” (2003) Ce dernier a aussi été déclaré comme le meilleur film asiatique par le NETPAC (Network for the promotion of Asian Cinéma).“Dias de Santiago” en tant qu’un drame psychologique représente les déboires d’un soldat (Santiago Roman) qui essaie de s’adapter à la vie civile.Ce petit film intime montre comment les jeunes partout dans le monde sont les victimes du chômage.Le cinéaste Péruvien Josue Mendez par le truchement d’une caméra Steadycam et la voix off rend les spectateurs près de notre héros.La colère,la frustration et latragédie de la situation sont admirablement portées à l’écran par la prestation merveilleuse de Pietro Sibylle.Quant à Mark Meily,son film philippin “Crying Ladies” était une vraie découverte du festival.On a toujours associé le cinéma philippin avec les images fortes des cinéastes chevronnés tels que Tikoy Aguiluz,Marilou Diaz Abaya,Lino Brocka etc.“Crying Ladies” tout en étant une comédie dénonce l’hypocrisie qui règne dans la société philippine contemporaine.Ce film désopilant est centré autour de ses trois protagonistes principaux qui acceptent le travail à mi-temps du cortège funébre professionnel pour un riche homme d’affaires chinois.D’emblée voit-on assez clairement que le scénario de Mike Meily lance une attaque virulente sur la société chinoise,l’église et chose surprenante sur le métier du cinéma ! Le festival international du film de Kerala a toujours servi de la rampe de lancement pour les films indiens vu que les directeurs artistiques des festivals importants y participent afin de choisir des films indiens pour leurs festivals.Ils étaient assez contents d’avoir trouvé une bonne récolte des longs-métrages indiens.Il y avait 3 films qui ont saisi leur attention.Avec “Hari Om” (2004) le cinéaste indien Bharatbala nous a fait éprouver une aventure romantique au travers des jolispaysages du Rajasthan en Inde.Son film est un conte de fées loufoque d’un trio atypique (deux touristes français et un chauffeur de Rickshaw indien) qui fait la vraie découverte de soi tout en établissant le contact avec le vrai esprit de l’Inde.Ils trouvent de l’amour et du courage dans des circonstances instables.“Morning Raga” (2004) de l’homme du théâtre Mahesh Dattani s’est révélé comme un film sublime.Celui-ci parle de l’effet de la musique sur les tragédies individuelles de ses trois personnages.“Morning Raga” nous prouve que la musique est capable de guérir toutes les blessures humaines.Les thèmes universaux comme la tragédie et la perte de la vie humaine figurent également dans le nouveau film “Amu” (2004) tourné par Shonali Bose. Le film montre comment la jeunesse indienne actuelle fait face à des plaies d’une hécatombe horrifiante.“Amu” est le récit de la violence contre la communauté Sikh lors des émeutes de 1984 après l’assassinat du premier ministre indien Mme Indira Gandhi.Au Kerala pendant une semaine du festival,s’il y a une section qui attire la grande foule,c’est certainement la section “World Cinema”.Cela permet aux autochtones à se familiariser avec les meilleurs films primés ailleurs.Cette fois-ci les spectateurs indiens ont réussi à voir quelques films importants qui n’ont pas été montrés dans d’autres festivals indiens.Le grec Thanos Anastopoulos a suscité trop de curiosité avec son film singulier “Tout le poids du monde”(2003).Le thème du film circule autour des 11 personnages d’une ville grecque qui sont étroitement unis par les tribulations d’un haltérophile.Tout le film est une mosaïque des éléments humains tels que l’amour,la naissance,la grossesse et la mort.“Nuit noire” (2003) du portugais João Canijo traite une nuit entière des fausses apparences entremêlées avec des mensonges,de la déception,de la faiblesse et de la lâcheté.Le film s’aboutit à se métamorphoser en une tragédie grecque et par conséquence tout finit par culbuter.On a souvent l’impression que lors des festivals du cinéma les spectateurs sont moins attirés par les documentaires.Cela n’était pas le cas avec le documentaire “The Corporation” tourné conjointement par Mark Achbar et Jennifer Abbott.Peu après la projection initiale,celui-ci s’est manifesté comme la fable de la ville pour tout le reste du festival.Ce film relève la montée en puissance des sociétés commerciales qui dominent notre existence.L’aspect saugrenu du film ! On a montré que les sociétés commerciales font preuve d’innombrables traits médicaux pour être classifiés des psychopathes.Le point culminantde ce festival était les diverses discussions qui visaient à questionner l’usage du technique afin de créer des spectateurs conscients.Selon le maître iranien Abbas Kiarostami l’usage de la technologie dans le cinéma est avantageux.Il a précisé que ce n’est pas la technologie qui détermine la qualité de la création mais c’est la créativité de l’individu qui s’en sert.En avouant sa préférence pour la technologie,il a préconisé que la sélection du technique soit numérique dépend du thème que l’on désire aborder.Il était de l’opinion que la caméra numérique fournit énormément de liberté en offrant maintes possibilités à tout le monde afin de faire des films à petits budgets.Le 9ème Festival International du film de Kerala 2004 s’est achevé avec l’aveu franc du Président de l’académie du film de la région de Kerala Rajeev Kumar.Il a souligné l’importance d’atteindre les niveaux mondiaux dans le domaine de la projection des films.Il a déclaré sans réserve que son institution ferait de son mieux pour que le festival international du film de Kerala parvienne à atteindre les niveaux requis.Souhaitons que son voeu se réalise !

Les récompenses de la 9ème édition du Festival International du film de Kerala 2004

Le Jury International:

Paul Leduc (Le Président,Méxique)

Simon Field (L’Angleterre)

Dora Bouchoucha (Le Maroc)

Mama Keita (Le Sénégal)

Farhan Akhtar (L’Inde )

LE PRIX DU JURY (LE FAISAN D’OR) POUR LE MEILLEUR FILM

JOSUE MENDEZ (Dias de Santiago,2004,Le Pérou)

LE PRIX DU JURY (LE FAISAN D’ARGENT) POUR LE MEILLEUR REALISATEUR

MIKE MEILY (Crying Ladies,2004,Les Philippines)

LE PRIX DU JURY (LE FAISAN D’ARGENT) POUR LE MEILLEUR REALISATEUR DEBUTANT

BAHIJ HOJEIJ (Ring of Fire,2003,Le Liban/La France)

Le Jury FIPRESCI :

Joan Dupont (La Présidente,Les états-unis)

KNT Sastry (L’Inde)

Shaheen M Kabir (Le Bangladesh)

Le Prix du Jury

BAHIJ HOJEIJ (Ring of Fire,2003,Le Liban/La France)

Le Jury NETPAC :

Ashley Ratnavibhushana (Le Président,Le Sri Lanka)

Madhu Jain (L’Inde)

Yves Thoraval (La France)

Le Prix du Jury (LE MEILLEUR FILM ASIATIQUE)

MIKE MEILY (Crying Ladies,2004,Les Philippines)

MENTION SPECIALE

ERAN RIKLIS (The Syrian Bride,2003,L’Israel/La France/L’Allemagne)

Le prix des spectateurs

Le meilleur film Premier Prix

REZA HEYDARNEJAD (Album,2004,L’Iran)

Le meilleur film Deuxième Prix

SHEN WENSHENG (Endless Way,2004,La Chine)

A successful celebration of cinema.

2007-12-28T04:41:00.000-08:00

8th International Film Festival of Kerala (Dec 12-19,2003)

© Lalit Rao

It is a widely accepted fact in film festival circles that if an International film festival manages to show 10 outstanding films then it is considered a success. Judging by that yardstick,the 8th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (Dec 12-Dec 19,2003) held in Thiruvanathapuram must be considered a resounding success.The truth is that it achieved resounding success by offering the cine literate public of Kerala more than 50 films to applaud. The 2003 edition of IFFK saw a record number of 19 films in its competition section.The films in this section delineated human struggles against the unjust society by showing how ordinary mortals are made to suffer due to archaic values.It included six films from India,seven from other Asian countries, four from Africa and two from South America.Non film producing nations like Pakistan and Bangladesh also made their presence felt with a film each.The competition jury was headed by renowned Cuban master Humberto Solas.It included Moussa Sene Absa (Senegal),Helmut Groschup (Austria) and Rituparno Ghosh (India).The 2003 edition of IFFK had following sections: IFFK Competition,World Cinema,Indian Cinema Today,New Malayalam Cinema,Chantal Akerman Retrospective,Chris Marker Retrospective,Aravindan Retrospective,Short Fiction Films,Documentary Films,US Independant Package,Focus on China,Canadian Short Films,Italian Package,Homage to Marin Karmitz and Swiss Short Films.

Opening Film: The opening film "Encounter" by Omer Kavur is a psychological drama about a search full of incidents.Its protagonist Sinan,an architect undergoing treatment for a fatal disease believes that he has been offered a new lease of life.His life takes a new meaning when he meets Mahmut who is equally distressed.Both men have guilty consciousness as an old crime disturbs Mahmut whereas Sinan holds himself responsible for the death of his son in a road accident.Death awaits them as strange events upset Sinan's mental state and brings him back upon his memories.

IFFK Competition Section : Mahamet Saleh Haroun in his intimate Chadian film,Abouna portrayed the hardships faced by youngsters while trying to make their entry in the difficult world of adults.It is the story of Tahir and Amin whose world is shattered after the sudden disappearance of their father who was suppossed to referee a football match involving young kids of the neighborhood.Life comes to a standstill as their panic-stricken mother cannot provide any satisfactory explication.They take matters in their hands by looking for their father all over the city.One day they seem to spot their loving father on a cinema screen.They decide to steal the cinema reels,but are quickly arrested by the police.The distraught mothers sends Tahir and Amir to an islamic school.The harshness of life in an alien setup has adverse effects on the young lads.Amin,suffering from Asthma dies following the loss of his inhalor.Tahir discovers the love of a mute girl.Abouna deserves sympathy as it is a sad tale based on real life events involving numerous helpless women in Chad who are left to fend for themsleves when their husbands leave them.Based on a social fact,Abouna helped Mahamat-Saleh Haroun to construct a delicate universal tale. "Osama" by Sedigh Barmak,which happens to be the first Afghan feature film made after the ousting of Taliban regime by American forces,was another impressive film.Osama portrays the difficult live of an Afghan widow who cannot work as under Taliban rule women have been deprived of their rights to earn a livelihood.She decides to raise her daughter as a boy,renaming her Osama,hoping that it would be of great use to her family.Osama is sent to a Taliban training camp but there is misery in store for her as it is revealed that she is a girl.Barmak termed his film "A real life tragedy".His film is a story about all those who lost their identity and are forced to live in constant fear.Above all,Osama is a poetic tale of madness thrust upon a little girl.It reminds us of the horrors,injustices and cruelty unleashed upon innocent people during the Taliban rule. It is not so often that one gets a chance to see a film from Uruguay."The Last Train" by Diego Arsuaga was undoubtedly acknowledged by a vast majority of spectators as the best film of the competitive section.This film narrates the adventures of three old men who hijack the last train in Uruguay which is to be sold to a major hollywood studio.These men firmly believe that their national heritage is not for sale.They get tremendous public support from common citizens who offer them food as well as water for the steam locomotive.Catchy music,fast pace and fine performances from veterans like Federico Luppi,Hector Alterio and Gaston Pauls make a good viewing.

World Cinema : Atanarjuat (The fast runner) by Zacharias Kunuk portrays how the arrival of a mysterious shaman causes dreadful rivality among the members of a small group of peaceful inuit community.Two courgaeous brothers Amaqjuaq:The brave and Atanarjuat:The fast runner tackle the forces of evil.Atanarjuat wins the heart of beautiful Atuat much to the chagrin of Oki,who decides to take revenge.He hatches a diabolical plot to eliminate Amaqjuaq and Atanarjuat.This rivetting tale of fact and fiction has the unique distinction of being the first inuit film in the history of cinema.Atanarjuat created a sensation in 2001 by winning the prestigious camera d'or at the Cannes film festival.Zacharias Kunuk through his artistic ambivalence has offered a novel perspective on human existence wherein a native community with strange customs attract the curiosity of modern world. Alexander Sokurov is a major cineaste whose works have regularly been screened at IFFK.He offered a wonderful glimpse of Russian history in his latest film "Russian Arc".A contemporary film maker,during a walk in St.Petersburg's hermitage museum finds himself immersed in Russia's turbulent history as he encounters myriad characters like Catherine II,a Persian ambassador,Anastasia and Nicholas II.He shows how Russia's lost glorious past deprived ordinary mortals of happiness for a long time.In dream like setting,this nostalgic film evokes a luxurious past of a great Russian nation which must seek to reestablish its own identity and histroy.A record of sorts was created as the entire film was shot in one 90-minute take. Takeshi Kitano's Dolls makes brilliant use of Japanese puppet theater Bunraku.It regroups three poetic stories of lost love to create a tender universal tale.The first tale is about Matsumoto and Sawako-a happy couple,who are forced to make a difficult choice owing to family pressure.The second tale involves Hiro-a yakuza boss,who by joining the crime world thirty years ago distanced himself from his love interest.The third tale depicts Nukui who would like to prove that he is the biggest fan of Haruna-a young pop star who met with an accident.Dolls shows that life does not flow like a river but consumes itself like a flame.Kitano as a true visual poet,created a delicate filmed theater. In Unknown pleasures,Xiao Ji and Bin Bin lead a futile existence in Datong,China.Xiao Ji falls in love with Qiao Qiao unaware of the fact that she is local gangster's mistress.Bin Bin is going steady with a young school girl who wants him to end their relationship.They decide to rob a bank to put an end to their miseries.Jia Zhang Ke is a true representative of China's 6th generation of film makers.In Unknown pleasures,he has filmed profound sadness,sorrow and hopelessness afflicting two unemployed chinese youth from a small provincial town. Larissa Sadilova's "With love Lily" is a moving portrayal of an ordinary Russian woman who chooses to live in her own fantasy world.It is a touching portrayal of Lilya-a naive poultry factory employee.She is desperately looking for a soul mate.The arrival of Boris-a pianist brightens her life but her happiness is short lived as Boris marries some one else.Sadilova silenced one and for all those who believed that Russian cinema is dead ! With love Lily,proved beyond doubt that cinema tradition in Russia is very much alive and capable of producing intimate portraits of day to day lives of ordinary Russians.

Retrospective: This segment featured films of the Belgian avant-garde director Chantal Akerman,French documentary wizard Chris Marker and the Malayalam maestro Aravindan.Chantal Akerman started her cinematographic career not only as an outsider but also as an autodidact.As a militant feminist,she always had a fascination for a cinema devoid of narrative style.She achieved international attention with her second film "Jeanne Dielman,23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" (1975).It is the story of a bourgeois widow Jeanne Dielman who supports herself and her 16 year old son by prostituting herself once a week.She feels neither disgust nor pleasure for what she is doing.She considers making love to clients as perfectly normal as taking a bath.The film recounts three days in her life in a bare minimal fashion as throughout the film there is hardly any suspense,climax or conflict.Chantal Akerman has deep concerns for neutrality as there is no evident identification process with the characters.In "Jeanne Dielman,23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" a discerning viewer can detect a certain desire to show what happens between two separate actions."De l'autre cote (On the other side) depicts the sad plight of illegal immigrants who are ready to overcome all obstacles in order to cross Mexican border to reach USA.In an interview,she acknowledged that the driving force between this documentary was the word "Dirt" used by American ranchers whenever they encountered illegal Mexican immigrants.Akerman maintains her neutrality by positioning herself as a foreigner attempting to comprehend the logic behind such risky ventures.Chris Marker constructed his charismatic "La Jetee" from still photographs combined in serial fashion with voice over narration and music.It is a love story set in a bleak future and involving time travel and memory.La Jetee as an ecstatic,lyrical film conveys the pain and weight of modern history and the intense power of images.Martine Armand-a french film festival programmer felt that Marker looks deep into history.His documentary works provide daring commentaries on political issues.Marker's anti war documentary "Far from vietnam" has special relevance in our troubled times as it was the first of its kind to oppose American involvement in Vietnam.Short FilmsShort films have always been considered as a supporting program before the main film.They serve film students as calling cards with which to enter into professional life in film,television and other branches of the media.

During IFFK certain innovative short films were shown which showed a marked preference for experimentation with film aesthetics and form.Canadian short film "Ceiling Requiem" (2002) by Jeremy Peter Allen shows a young man trying to commit suicide after listening to Bach and Mozart.He is forced to take such a drastic step as he is constantly harassed by his amateur cello playing neighbour.The young man decides to put a bullet in his head after freeing humanity from his neighbour's ignominious cacophony.Stina Werenfels' swiss short "Pastry,pain and politics" (1998) reveals prejudices and different types of racism practised by its protagonists.An old Jewish couple-Fritz and Elen Weintraub spend their vacations in Switzerland.Ellen wanted to go to Israel as during the war Switzerland refused jews entry within its territory.Fritz is against the idea as he feels that Israel is too hot and full of Arabs.They finally land in Switzerland where Fritz has a heart attack.Hayat-a Palestinian nurse saves his life.Pastry,pain and politics tackles the fundamental questions of national,human and religious borders.The witty Belgian short "Chanson Chanson" by Xavier Diskeuve delighted everyone with its dark humour.Walter Molitor-a supermarket announcer dreams of becoming a singing star.He heads for Paris in order to participate in a music show "Chanson Chanson".His cousin Jacques drives him to Paris with hilarious results.The swiss short "Summer Time" (2000) by Anna Luif depicted how human feelings like frustration,pain and anguish are inextricably linked to first love.Nadja-aged 13,falls madly in love with Michael.She is unaware of the fact that he is her mother's new boy friend.Her world is shattered when she comes to learn that Michael is more interested in her mother.She tries to seduce Michael but he disapproves of her advances.Nadja realises that she has gone too far.Finally in her mother's arms,she realizes that she is still not ready to make her foray into the world of adults.IFFK sidebarsIFFK 2003 through its selection of certain serious films proved that delicate socio-political issues can be solved through meaningful cinema.Some of the films like Khamosh Pani (Pakistan)-Sabiha Kumar,Clay Bird (Bangladesh)-Tarek Masud and Madame Brouette (Senegal)-Moussa Sene Absa were highly political in nature.Most of these films fostered faith,hope and awareness against the onslaught of archaic values.Clay Bird which is set entirely in an islamic madarsa recalls the turbulent period which led to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.It advocates basic human values like cultural diversity,religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.Its success resulted in a boon for talented Bangladeshi cinema as increasing awareness about good cinema has been created in the minds of general public.The success of Clay Bird has inceased prospects of meaningful cinema in Bangladesh as new entrants are venturing into alternative films.Sabiha Kumar's Khamosh Pani deals with islamic findamentalists who were highly active during Zia-ul-Haq's military rule.She holds politicians responsible for the narrow minded approach in solving Indo-Pak conflict.Khamosh Pani managed to garner good reviews at various international festivals despite the fact that it was shot in Pakistan which lacks necessary infrastructure and climate for film making.Moussa Sene Abssa's poignant "Madame Brouette" advocates human independence as its principal character Matti fiercly guards her freedom as well as her dreams.He is hopeful that physical and intellectual bondage can be cut by art and aesthetics.It is his manner of waging a peaceful war against colonisation.He firmly believes that in all his films there is a mission to create awareness among African people to rebel against dark forces of imperialism and colonisation.Open forum discussions have always been a focal point of IFFK.This year was no exception as many lively debates and animated scenes were witnessed.Some of the topics were "Programming for festivals","Film societies in changing times" "Film and television" and "Alternative strategy of film making:A third world perspective".The noted cuban maestro Humberto Solas felt that film makers must not view financial constraints in bad light as low budget films provide greater artistic freedom.According to him local film producers should strive to cut costs by taking advantage of evolving technology.Adoor Gopalakrishnan expessed his view that the scope of film societies has increased more than ever.It was felt that film socities must attempt to restructure themseleves.Amol Palekar vehemently criticised Doordarshan for its indifferent attitude towards award winning films and documentaries.He said that he did not have a great regard for the TV medium as it has always refrained from supporting film industry.Rada Sesic was of the opinion that TV must make efforts to provide needed boost to documentaries as they are closer to life.The participants bemoaned the fact that short film maker gets no support or recognition either from the government or the general public as it is difficult to screen them.A choice selection of 25 classics of Malayalam cinema was a big let down.Firstly,most of the films were unsubtitled.Secondly,the auditorium selected was not at all suitable for film projection.This dampened the spirits of numerous non malyali and foreign delegates who showed avid interest towards this event.8th IFFK thus lost a great opportunity of revealing the creativity and richness which has been the hallmark of Malyalam cinema for 75 years.The film market set up by Kerala Chalachitra Academy did not live up to its expectations as it only managed to elicit a lukewarm response from international buyers.It failed to secure international distribution of malyalam films despite the fact that there were inquiries from Los Angeles and certain domestic sectors.It is true that during 8th IFFK roughly 2000 new faces registered as festival delegates but a mature film audience was certainly missing as constant ringing of cell phones coupled with frequent quitting of auditorium disturbed discerning audience.This was shocking as film conscious audience were deprived of serious viewing when off beat films like Dolls and Russian Arc were screened.IFFK has managed to secure a place for itself in international film festival arena thanks to its effeciency.It boasts of an excellent media centre,a nice festival bulletin,and above all a dedicated team of volunteers who ensure smooth running of the festival.The official recognition from FIAPF (International Federation of Film Prodcuers Association) has given an added boost to festival authorities as they are in a position to allay all fears that prints might get lost or delayed.IFFK is poised to become the best film festival in Asia.Let us hope that IFFK 2004 would turn out to be even greater success.

IFFK 2003:Winners

Best Film-Abouna (Chad)-Mahamet Saleh Haroun.
Best Director-George Furtado (Brazil)-The Man who copied.
Best debut director-Mansoor Sore Wade (Senegal)-The Prize of Forgiveness.
FIPRESCI Special mention-Margam (India)-Rajeev Vijayaraghavan.
Audience prize-Osama (Afghanistan)-Siddiq Barmak

A mediocre celebration of cinema !!!

2007-12-28T04:39:00.000-08:00

33rd International Film Festival of India,New Delhi.

(Oct 1-10,2002)

A MEDIOCRE CELEBRATION OF CINEMA.

The 33rd International Film Festival of India (Oct 1-10,2002) returned to Indian capital New Delhi after two years.New Delhi is considered to be an ideal location for the festival as the main venue houses three auditoriums enabling the audience to effortlessly choose their films without the discomfort of engaging themselves in an Eleventh-hour chaotic run towards their preferred cinema halls.The entire Indian subcontinent was fervently anticipating this event as the last edition was cancelled due to certain insubstantial political motives.The festival disheartened many a film buff as most of the films screened were mediocre.This was a common sentiment experienced by a vast majority of delegates, critics,journalists and cinephiles alike.

The festival started on a promising note with the screening of Brazilian cineaste Lais Bodanzky’s moving debut “Bicho de Sete Cabecas” (Brainstorm) as its opening film.The film is based on the true story of a Sao Paolo middle class adolescent who is forced to endure a Kafkaesque nightmare when he is unjustly institutionalized in a hellish mental institution. Rodrigo Santoro is brilliant as the protagonist,Neto who falls into the absurd system of cruelty when his parents trick him into being admitted to a mental hospital. Bicho de Sete Cabecas is based on the true story of Austregesilo Carrano Bueno who has spent much of his life campaigning against mental institutions.Bicho De Sete Cabecas made a lasting impression on viewers worldwide as the audience was surprised to see a slice of their contemporary lives on screen instead of the usual Hollywood mix of action and thrills.

The Cinema of the world section remains a charismatic focal point for discerning Indian viewers for many of whom it provides a unique opportunity to see some of the excellent cinema from all parts of the globe.The dismal selection of certain second-rate films forced the astute film buffs to proceed warily in their selection of nice films.The most exciting film in the Cinema of the world section was Colombian Jorge Ali Triana’s “Bolivar,Soy Yo.”It is a comic tale of actor Santiago Miranda,who quits the shooting of a TV serial based on the life of Simon Bolivar as he feels that the script is filled with lies.Santiago Miranda,faced with bewildered eyes of all the nations kidnaps the President of Colombia in order to force a meeting of all Bolivarian nations towards the creation of his unfinished dream:The Great Colombia.Jorge Ali Triana expressed his opinion that humour is a serious business as creating laughter is very difficult.He feels that the absurdity of serious situations can only be shown through humour.

The 33rd edition of International Film Festival of India paid an endearing tribute to the great Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni six years after his death through a retrospective of ten of his most acclaimed films.Anna Maria Tato participated keenly in a panel discussion about her companion of two decades.Mastroianni left his mark on the festival audience in the form of a jaded journalist in Fellini’s classic La Dolce Vita.His unparalleled talent was evident in other films like Divorce Italian style,Ghosts in Rome,Ginger and Fred,Too Bad She’s Bad,White Nights,Scipio the African,The Organizer,La Notte and I Remember,Yes I Remember.

The Croatian film package highlighted the horrors of war and its devastating effects on a common man’s everyday life."Christmas in Vienna" nicely delineates the atrocities of an irrational Balkan conflict which continues to trigger interminable suffering to everyone involved in appalling hostilities.Branko Schmidt’s film is about a violinist Ivan who watches his best friend die during a shell attack.He decides to move from the incongruous reality of war to the splendour of a Christmas time Vienna where it will be tough for him to choose a serene Viennese existence or to cope with bitter realities of a senseless war.

One can easily accredit Walter Salles as the cineaste who single handedly revived the new Brazilian cinema.His chef d’oeuvre Central do Brasil inspired innumerable energetic film-makers to project a new facet of realism in Brazilian cinema.The segment on contemporary Brazilian cinema was a dazzling success among the festival audience.The discovery of this section was a feature length documentary "Window of the Soul" by Joao Jardim.Jardim devoted eight priceless years of his career to create a masterpiece about human vision. Window of the Soul made optimum use of the presence of legendary filmmakers like Agnes Varda and Wim Wenders.Window of the Soul is a superbly crafted film about important personalities suffering from myopia or blindness who talk about the composition of human eye,wearing of glasses and its implications on their behaviour.

The Indian Panorama enables foreign critics,delegates and festival programmers to watch,review and choose the best works produced in different Indian languages in the previous year.It is one of the festival’s major accomplishment that Indian film lovers have come to appreciate these films which never get a chance to be shown alongside the usual song and dance type commercial fare.The Indian Panorama featured among others the latest films by established directors like Mrinal Sen,Buddhadev Dasgupta,Girish Kasarvalli and Shaji Karun,Most of the foreign delegates and critics were impressed by "Aamaar Bhuvan" (This is my World ) by Mrinal Sen.His latest work symbolizes a shift in style and treatment of themes as far as his temperament is concerned.Aamaar Bhuvan set in a serene village narrates the emotional turmoil faced by a married couple.

The 33rd International Film Festival of India gave critics,journalists,delegates and filmmakers an option to share their opinions on a wide range of cinema related issues.The focus of all significant debates was an open forum about “Regulated Censorship”.Most of the speakers felt that censorship of films should not be encouraged by the government as cineastes should be given freedom to exercise self imposed censorship.A wide variety of topics ranging from “Cinema and Literature”,“Problems of unification of East and West Germany”,“Introduction of cinema as a field of study in educational institutions”etc were discussed during press conferences and seminars organized by the directorate of film festival.

The 33rd International Film Festival of India had a positive albeit sad ending as festival authorities decided to screen Finnish master Aki Kaurismaki’s latest work “The Man without a past” as its closing film.The Man without a past is a tender tale of homeless people who rekindle our faith in humanity despite surviving numerous hardships and prejudices. The 33rd International Film Festival of India triumphed in upholding global peace as foreign delegates not only enjoyed their stay in New Delhi but also travelled to nearby cities like Agra,Ajmer,Jaipur etc invalidating prevalent belief that it is not safe to travel in India.It is true that the 33rd edition of International Film Festival of India was unable to find a palpable artistic sharpness among its audience yet it enabled Indian cinema enthusiasts to get acquainted with renowned international cinema personalities like Anna Maria Tato, Branko Schmidt ,Carla Camurati, Dalibor Matanic, Hisashi Saito,Heike Schober, Igor Maslennikov,Italo Spinelli,Izhak Tzahi Grad, Joao Jardim,Jorge Ali Triana, Kianush Ayyari,Kim Dong Ho,Martial Knaebel, Milutin Petrovic,Reza Mir Karimi, Sabine Derflinger,Tadao Sato, Thorsten Lohn,Wang Ping,Yutaka Suzuki etc.