Film enthusiasts can watch the favourites of film archivist P K Nair at the Banner Film Festival slated for Sunday.
The day-long festival will open with the 1928 film ‘Zvenigora’ by Alexander Dovzhenko, the first film in the ‘Ukraine Trilogy’ of the director, the other two being ‘Arsenal’ and ‘Earth.’ The theme revolves around the relationship between the individual and nature. It relates the Ukrainian history through the story of an old man who tells his grandson about the treasure buried in a mountain. The 65-minute silent film, mostly influenced by avant-garde, is regarded as a silent revolutionary epic and unfolds through seven episodes.
Jules Dassin’s ‘He Who Must Die’ is based on Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel ‘Christ Recrucified’. Set against the backdrop of the 1920s Greece occupied by the Turks, the story happens in a Greek village that conducts a Passion Play each year. When the movie unfolds, the Passion Play turns reality. The film entered the Cannes in 1957.
The 1953 rom-com ‘Roman Holiday’ revolves around the happenings when Ann, the crown princess of an unspecified country, takes out a tour to several European capitals. In Rome, the busy and frustrated Ann is administered a sedative by the doctor to calm her down. In the meantime, she sets out to experience Rome on her own and leaves secretly. The events occurring from this juncture leads the course of the film.
‘Citizen Kane’ is Orson Welles’ debut feature film in which the story is narrated through flashbacks. The film was nominated for Academy awards in nine categories, and won an award for Best Writing. The 1941 film in English is 119 minutes long.