QUEEN'S ROAD: While the Bengaluru International Film Festival aims to reach out to people of all ages, some city colleges have gone the extra mile to encourage students to participate.
At NMKRV College for Women, the undergrad journalism students participate or volunteer every year as the fest falls during their vacation. But this time, even the post-graduate mass communication students have been asked to do the same and a 10-day holiday has been declared.
"They will become familiar with the international scenario of filmmaking, meet the big names and learn things we can't teach them in class because we have a curriculum to follow," says Manoj B A, a lecturer. He says even a couple of hours of volunteering at the fest can be an enriching experience for these students. The reports or reviews they come up with will be uploaded on the department's official blog.
Meanwhile, St Joseph's College is granting its communication students attendance if they take part in the fest.
"From crowd management to how the projection system works, there is so much I've learnt, and not even half the festival is over yet," says Indrajit Roy, a final year student. Most of his classmates are volunteering as well, while the others are catching the films. "We make sure that all the volunteers catch a couple of films a day," Indrajit adds.
For the National School of Drama's Bengaluru chapter, whose infrastructure at Kalagrama is still under works, the festival is a godsend, says Niranjan, who is pursuing an intensive diploma in acting.
"Regular screenings happen at NSD Delhi and even at Ninasam and Rangayana. Here, we don't have the facilities yet," he says. So every day, the students attend one early class and manage to watch three to four films, which they have been asked to review.
Their passes have been sponsored by the school, and they are even given packed meals.
Central College is another institute that has contributed to the fleet of volunteers. Its mass communication students can go of their own accord, though they have no additional incentives. "The organisers approached us. Since classes are over, we said whoever wants can go, but there's no compulsion," says HoD Dr H K Mariswamy.