The film lovers who visited the New Theatre on Saturday morning were in for a shock as the IFFK organisers chose to screen Chalachithra Academy chairman Priyadarshan’s Malayalam film Kalapani, released in 1996, instead of French film Rose.
Most of the delegates who came to know about the change in schedule managed to sneak in to other theatres nearby, after the start of the film. The goof-up created a commotion in front of the New Theatre, as many delegates started queuing up for the next screening - Elles, scheduled at 11.30 am. Rose, of 94-minute duration, also made many delegates who did not reserve tickets to reach New Theatre by as early as 10.30 am. Without knowing that the screening of the Kalapani was on, the serpentine queue of delegates extended up to the gate of New Theatre by 11 am. The theatre employees also refused to let the delegates in even after 11. 30 am which led to protest from the crowd. Only after heated arguments the doors were opened by 12 noon and those who entered the theatre saw Mohanlal on screen in front of an empty theatre.
Elles started only after 12.30 pm after the screening of Kalapani. For nearly half-an-hour the festival crowd had to watch the Malayalam film. All delegates who eagerly arrived at Sree Theatre to see Rituparno Ghosh’s Chitrangada at 11 am were greeted with the movie from the competition section, Sta.Nina directed by Manny Paloj. After the director was given a warm welcome before the audience, the screening began and the scenes from Chitrangada appeared instead. As usual, the delegates raised protests and uncertainties continued for half-an-hour until Sta.Nina was shown. Chitrangada was screened instead of Sta.Nina at 3.30 pm in Sree.