THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Film buffs came in hordes, carrying the festival bags with the IDSFFK logo, sifting through the festival book and pouring through schedule until they zeroed in on the movies to watch. They shuffled into the theatres with much excitement and the screens flickered to their delight, with some of the finest movies being screened.
The five-day long 11th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, opened to a full house here on Friday.
The venue turned out to be a platform for the lovers of documentaries and short films to explore the diversity in films, shot by filmmakers from around the globe. The festival also offered budding, talented filmmakers and film enthusiasts an avenue to learn.
“The festival has been crafted in such a way that the film lovers can see myriad themes and techniques used by different filmmakers. This will serve as a platform for learning, helping a filmmaker to improve his craft,” said an organiser.
The response on the first day was overwhelming. Each person had something interesting to share about the films they watched.‘Human Flow’ by Ai Weiwei, which deals with the global refugee crisis, was the opening film of the festival. Two international documentaries - ‘The Juggler’ and ‘Debut’ was screened in the morning, followed by short documentaries, campus films and short fiction films in the competitive section.
‘Elephant Pathways/Anathara’ by Shaji Mathilakam, which was screened in the short documentary category, was a visual passage on the beauty of lives in the wild.Another short documentary film ‘Mangroves: Nature’s Hardy Foot Soldiers’ by documentary filmmaker and journalist Sajeed Naduthody caught the attention of the audience towards the importance of mangrove conservation and the three individuals on that particular mission.
The viewers were content with the films which not only were informative but also engaging. “This is the first time that I am attending something of this kind. I saw the short documentary ‘Elephant Pathways’. It was quite impressive as it showcased the emotional moments of wild animals. The list of movies also seem impressive and films of different languages are screened,’ said Varun V C, a student from Christ Nagar College, Thiruvananthapuram.
Campus films like ‘Bridge’, ‘Ida’ and ‘Preparation’ also brought to light the techniques and unique themes explored by budding filmmakers from different colleges. “Most of the films have been treated in a unique way. I liked ‘Ida’ which had adopted a different style while showcasing the life of a young village girl,” said Vishnu, a film enthusiast. Short fiction films like ‘Arimpaara’, ‘Till the Story Ends’ and ‘Sound Proof’ were also screened.
IDSFFK will screen as many as 206 films under various categories. Around 13 music videos and nine animated films have also been included in the IDSFFK. The festival will conclude on July 24.
Anand Patwardhan honoured
Noted documentary maker Anand Patwardhan was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in connection with the 11th edition of the International Documentary Short Film Festival of Kerala. Anand Patwardhan’s film You Can Destroy the Body, a visual and musical tribute which unveils the valour and courage of Comrade Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, Sheethal Sathe and Sachin Mali who had also vehemently criticized the fascist forces operating as per the Hindu fundamentalist agenda, was also screened.