KOCHI: The last day of IDSFFK saw a slowly dwindling crowd who were told about the cancellation of the closing ceremony. Also was cancelled some of the events held alongside the festival such as meeting the filmmaker sessions and discussions on the trends that prompted the packages in the festival schedule following the tragic landslide in Wayanad.
Around 30 films were screened on Wednesday going by the schedule. One of which was Ladakh 470, a documentary about five-time Guinness world record holder Sufiya Khan, who completed an ultramarathon from the Siachen War Memorial to the Kargil War Memorial by running 470 km. It was a tribute to the Indian Army on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas in the year 2022.
Despite a lack of oxygen and never-ending upward terrain, Sufiya, with a stoic mind, had no other goal but to hit the checkpoint with the Indian flag in her hand. Throughout the run, the Army assisted Sufiya with all the safety measures and encouragements. Her coach and husband were also with her.
Her story struck deep chords with the audience, especially those who claim to have an insatiable wanderlust.
“I really enjoyed the documentary. Now, I have added a plan to hit Ladakh with a classic 350 on my bucket list. I was able to connect with the film, her endurance. It gave me hope and motivation,” said Sures Ram, an attendee.
Another highlight of the day was the shortfilm Salvation Dream. The director, Ritam Chakraborty, had chosen a different approach to cinematography with still shots throughout the short.
The story revolves around an elderly man’s mundane and exhausted lifestyle until his death, reminding the viewers that death is absolute and a path of nature to one’s inner salvation. The film talks about a reality beyond the physical level without a single dialogue.
The crowd was limited compared to the first two days.
At the end of the day, a low-profile award distribution ceremony was held in the presence of the jury, chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and other KSCA officials. Delegates bid adieu to the venue after the screenings, hoping to congregate for The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in December. Despite the dampeners, they did live five days in the magic of frames that packaged life in real and in shorts.