KOCHI: A group of filmmakers, whose movies had been screened at the recently held International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in Thiruvananthapuram, arrived on a visit to the venue of the Kochi Muziris Biennale(KMB).
Green Zeng, who directed the critically acclaimed ‘The Return’ (2015), said the KMB could easily match the internationally-renowned Venice Biennale. “Of course, the Biennale in Venice has a higher budget and is afforded more space,but regarding the quality of the artworks on show at the KMB, I can’t discern any difference between KMB and Venice Biennale,” said Zeng, who had attended the Venice Biennale earlier this year. Jayan K Cherian, director of ‘Ka Bodyscapes’, said the Biennale “is an installation in itself”. “There is a distinct change in the artistic production in accordance with the times we live in. Chilean poet-revolutionary Ra l Zurita’s ‘Sea of Pain’ captures perfectly the refugee crisis and forced displacement. Many works here have directly or indirectly referenced the socio-political conditions of the time,” he said. According to South African filmmaker Brett Innis, whose ‘Sink’(2016) had wowed audiences at the IFFK 2016, it was the experimental nature of most of the works on display that was most impressive.
“Artists from different corners of the world are brought onto a common platform. The works are ambiguous and experimental. They prompt audiences to reflect unlike the narrative techniques used in filmmaking,” Innis said. Dutch filmmaker and anthropologist Louk Vreeswijk, in search of inspiration, did not return disappointed. “I saw a lot of conceptual art with a good mixture of literature, philosophy, audio and visuals,” he said.Saudi Arabia-based director Mahmoud Sabbagh expressed admiration for the diverse narratives and forms.
KMB to host curated film packages from tomorrow
Kochi: The Kochi-Muziris Biennale(KMB) 2016 will host a series of specially curated film packages beginning this week. The first set of films, selected by noted film critic Dr C S Venkiteswaran, will be screened at the Pavilion in Cabral Yard, from Friday, December 23, to Monday, December 26. Titled ‘Kinetic Power Called Caste’, the packge examines the reality of caste in Kerala in the present time. And four malayalam films themed on caste--Shanavas Naranipuzha-directed ‘Kari’ (2015);Sanalkumar Sasidharan’s ‘Ozhivu Divasathe Kali’ (2015);’Pathinonnam Sthalam’ (2016) by Ranjit Chittade and ‘Aaradi’(2016) helmed by Saji Palamel Sreedharan--will be shown. The screenings will begin at 6.30 pm and will have English subtitles. “In contemporary Kerala society and polity, caste is an underground river that is invisible on the surface and unutterable in public discourse, but very much alive and flowing, feeding everything above the ground. These films probe at caste life and caste in Kerala society in the present times,” said the organisers.