Film enthusiasts at one of the sessions of cross-border cinema
Film enthusiasts at one of the sessions of cross-border cinema

World cinema to open up a whole new world

The monthly event aims to introduce cine buffs to a whole new world of foreign language films and discuss their directors' work  

BENGALURU: Most of us are aware of our own Indian films and some Hollywood films that predominantly run in theatres.  But many of us miss out on variety of cinema out there.
With an aim to give a platform for regular cine enthusiasts to access world cinema, Shashwath Malli, community manager at Lahe Lahe, a cultural space in Indiranagar, has started 'cross border cinema'.
The monthly event that is one screening old, includes a brief explanation of the social context, the director's vision and why he or she made the film, before it is screened. A discussion also takes place post the screening. 

Shashwath says, "While growing up, I knew just about Hollywood and Bollywood. Like others, I was introduced to a limited black and white narrative of good guy versus bad guy. When I started watching world cinema, it opened up a whole new world, a pandora's box for me."His vision to share such content-driven foreign language films, led to the screening of Italian film Bicycle Thieves (made in 1984) recently. "It is important to understand the context.

Most of these unconventional European and Iranian films, were set in a post-World War era, when people struggled for basic necessities and employment. It was the age of imperialism, where roti, kapda, makaan (food, clothing, shelter) was the main focus," he says, adding, "In India, post the times of directors such as Satyajit Ray and Guru Dutt, our films turned towards larger than life characters whom we cannot relate to." For instance, the first screening of Bicycle Thieves was about a post World War II Rome, where a father looks for his stolen bicycle, without which he cannot go to work and feed his family. 

The community manager feels that despite living in the internet age, interested audience do not receive the right direction to locate such films. The upcoming screening at the session is a 1997 Persian film, Children of Heaven set in post revolution Iran. "People need not worry about language barriers. These movies are less complicated than the ones made by Christopher Nolan. The movie is about relationship between siblings, where the brother goes around looking for his sister's missing shoes. These film connects with you on an emotional level," he says, hinting that with little concentration, you can also understand these films without the help of subtitles.The next screening of cross border cinema will take place on May 25, at 7:30 pm. 

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