A week of battle to watch best movies
Long queues of anxiously waiting crowd to get a seat, those failed desperately trying to find tiny space to stand up, others who failed to get into the theatre murmuring, complaining, and scolding organisers, theatres owners and specially those who were lucky to get into the theatre, were some of the regular scenes at the first ever Colombo International Film Festival held last year.
A major section of film lovers who thronged to the festival were not mainly from Colombo but as far as Kandy, Kalutara and even Anuradhapure. Thus it was also proved that they came all the way not because it was free of charge.
This unexpected flow of filmgoers also dispelled the myth and the regular complaint mostly by those in the industry-producers, directors, distributors and theatre owners—that “people don’t come to watch film nowadays, television is a threat to cinema and people don’t like art and they don’t have aesthetic interest. The IFFC proved Sri Lankan filmgoers are rich in aesthetic sense and they would take any trouble to watch a “Good Movie”.
With such an encouraging feedback, the Directors Guild of Sri Lanka (DGOS) is to launch the second edition of the international film festival of Colombo (IFFC) from November 6 to 11 with as many as 100 films. Significantly the festival will be opened with the Cannes golden palm awardwinning film ‘Dheepan’ by renowned French director Jacques Audiard.
Director Jacques Audiard, Palme d’Or award winner for his film Dheepan actress Kalieaswari Srinivasan and actor Jesuthasan Antonythasan
The IFFC will be launched with a number of new segments like a competitive film festival for top Asian film, a move that would recognise the festival internationally. Titled ‘ Asian Competition’, the highly acclaimed ten movies from Asian region countries will be shortlisted to compete for the most prestigious award of the festival.
Recognising Sri Lankan cinema talent a fresh section named ‘Mosaic of Sri Lankan New Cinema Competition’ has been introduced to the festival from the year of 2015. The most cinematic movie of the year would bag the ‘Cinema of Tomorrow Award’ which will be named by a NETPAC appointed jury.
Retrospectives of Veteran Film Makers: the renowned Indian film personality Adoor Gopalakrishnan as well as Serbian movie icon Emir Kusturica are felicitated at IFFC 2015 with a screening of their outstanding movies.
With the purpose of giving wide cinematic experience to Sri Lankan audience, more than 50 globally acclaimed movies will be screened at IFFC attached to world cinema section.
Among that movies, Cannes golden palm award winning film ‘Dheepan’ directed by Jacques Audiard, Berlin golden bear award winning film ‘Taxi’ by Jafar Panahi, Eisenstein in Guanajuato by world cinema icon Peter Greenaway and Sils Maria by Olivier Assayas will be highly praised by the audience.
A Scene from IFFC 2014
Documentary and Short Film corner: Ceylon Theatres Pvt Ltd ,the main theatre partner of the IFFC is ready to felicitate the four best Sri Lankan short movie makers with the ‘Regal Award’ at closing ceremony night. The winners will have a rare chance to screen their movies at Regal theatre which is one of the oldest and biggest cinema theatre in Sri Lanka.
Alby James
In addition bunch of most acclaimed French movies tittled French Film Corner : a gift from France wil be screened.
The IFFC in association with Okinawa International Movie Festival will create a cinematic path for movie lovers to grab Japanese cinematic flavour.
Three Master Classes and a Workshop
IFFCOLOMBO 2015 has planned three master classes and a workshop and they include each session will be conducted by a renowned personality in that field.
They include Alby James, the ‘Bond’ movie producer who will talk on How to bring your film to the world, Prof Dragan Milinkovic Fimon an eminent university professor, producer, drama writer and director who will conduct two master classes based on the themes of ‘Looking at Movies’ and ‘Reading Kusturica’ and Prof Lydia Trisovic who is a master makeup artist and a teacher will conduct a workshop on ‘Touch of Glamour’ for professionals in Media and Beauty industry.
Jurors Works : films from Competition Jury members– the three movies from jury members represented the main jury would be lined up to offer a wide variety cinematic experience for the Sri Lankan audience.
Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The acclaimed Indian film director, script writer, and producer Addor Gopalakrishnan and Indian film critic Aruna Vasudev will be honoured at IFFC with a Lifetime achievement award to appreciate their priceless contribution to promote Asian cinema throughout the world.
Public forums, music evenings and many more events are lined up during the 6-day long IFFColombo 2015.