IFFK 2009

The 14th Intrnational Film Festival of Kerala , eight days celebration of films at thiruvanantapuram. It gave me an opportunity to watch many world films. I have seen 24 films including competition films,world films and indian films. The film I like the most are

EASTERN PLAYS

K Amen Kalev's Bulgarian film Eastern Plays portrait a young drug addict artist. It picturise the violent racial srife of present day Bulgaria. The film touches on the relationship ,and the artists unsuccesful love affair with Turkish girl. Her presence raise his spirits but her sudden departure back to istambul leaves him desolate once more. Many of the scens take place in darkness. In my view it is not an interesting one. The preformances are not strong .The central character isto seems an unappealing character,sometimes his haunted quality and decency make impression. The climax shot doesnot gave any idea to its viewers.

THE FISH CHILD

Spanish director lucia pienzo's the fish child treats the lesbian affair of two young women lala and guayi. it is a brooding melodramatic film.it is a sensuous and sensitive drama becomes a violent range. the underwater shots in paraguayan lake which follow a creature that gives the film its name.the two girls are escaping from the cruel control of the moneyyed upperclass represented by lalas father.they steal anything they can lay their hands on to save up for their escape to paraguay. this film presenting a valid commentary on south american politics and social in equalities.

the underwater shots are cruel to the film,showing the legendary fish child. the film moves in flash back. the fish child that creats some doubt in the audience. i think it is fantasy. it fantasy that looses films natural flow. it is very hard to communicate with the audience

LONG STREET

British film directed by Ravel Fox. It picturise the relation ship of recovering drug addict Sia and her mother. In my view it is not interesting. Its plot is almost incidental. It is a film about space between resolutions, the distance between emotional horizons. It is not a perfect film. It is away from realities. It also resorts to some cliches . But it never in a cliched manner. The film is a journey towards conversation. I think there is enough covresations to express their feelings. The long conversation did not get audience attention. It doesnot venture the matters of race and cultural identity.but it manages to portay a wide rangeof of races and identities. The film is beautifully shot.But Ravel Fox failed to communicate his ideas to its readers.

FISHING PLATFORM

Indonesian film directed by Ravi Bharwani . Acceptance and rejection are explored in the film. A twelve year boy forced to grow up quickly by his circumstances. After his mother's death Jaya,sent to his father Johar. But the protagonist isolated in fishing platform in the middle of the ocean. Faced with rejection from his father and bullying by the other boys who work in the jermal. The cruelty are offset by clever use of humour. Through this film we can analyse how the circumstances change one man. T he creak of the jermal helping to stress Jaya's isolation. Its jointly won Prestigious Golden Crow award with About Elly. Network for the Promotion of Asian cinema award was also bagged by fishing platform

TRUE NOON

Nosir Saidov’s Tajikistan film is a historical conflict between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan . It tells the story of two village .Through this film we can see how people’s life change by the interference of the governments. Two former soviet states, become independent after the fall of communism. Powerful scene that the teacher takes class at the border, the children on both sides are learning. The film won the audience prize. The film is interesting but it does not keep suspense till in the end .We can predict the climax shot that is the major draw back of the film.

SHIRIN

ts an experimental film from Iranian veteran movie maker Abbas Kiarostami.This ninety four minutes film is an experiment. Kiarostami’ s characters watching 800 year old Persian love story of Khosrow and Shirin a semi mythic Persian romance of female self sacrifice. Shirin falls tragically love with a Persian noble man. We never see the movie, the film reflected in the eyes of women watching the film. We can hear dialogues ,music and the sounds of battle behind us. While Kiarostami’s camera shows us a succession of female faces entirely in close up shots. Kiarostami taught us how to see a film. He took female characters because he knows women are best to express feelings. Through the actresses gestures, expressions, looks, they are being watched.

TREELESS MOUNTAIN

In the second day of fest I had seen Treeless Mountain a story of two sisters. This theme is very familiar but the presentation is different .This 89 minutes South Korean film was directed by So Yong Kim. Kim has made a touching film about the loneliness of children in a world that neglected. Two little sisters of six and four, one day told by their mother that she must leave them for a while to search their father .She gave a piggy bank with a promise that she will return when it is full. In the second half we had seen how the sisters earn money to fill the piggy bank. It touches all the spectators. It symbolise their deep affection with their mother. But finally the children gave their piggy bank to grandmother, it shows they accepted their fate. This film is not an easy to watch, but its content is sticky.

In the second half , Bin attempts to plant a tree on the top of a hill that overlooks the bus stop where they expect their mother to return. The plant represents the life of the children ,their lose of hope and uncomfortable life style. As films concludes on a propitious note that their grandmas life is limited, Jim and Bin soon re-enter into another world of life. In this film cinematographer fully captures the girl’s feelings through close up shots. Through their eyes we can analyse lose of hope and curiosity of future.

ABOUT ELLY

Asghar Faraday’s About Elly tells the mysterious disappearance of a young women Elly a kindergarten teacher .In the beginning of the film we saw the characters joyful journey .In the first part we can see the joyful party of friends in the resort .Elly’s missing gives rise to all sorts of complex issues, of morality and questions of responsibility for tragedy. After the disappearance, film takes a serious tone. Sepideh is blamed by her husband for having invited Elly. It ruins the fruitful relationship of characters .Asghar’s intelligence of direction and screenplay becomes most apparent in the later stage of the film.

Elly, the symbol of upper middle class society of Iran. Through this film Farhadi shares his idea about the problems of women and their marital life . Farhadis cast is uniformly excellent. All of the performances are great. Through the picturisation of modern face of Iran ,About Elly won the prestigious Golden Crow Pheasant award for best film.