Inviting the cinema lovers and enthusiasts of European cinematic gems, the European Film Festival 2010 will go around the country making appearances in the North and the South. Taking a big leap forward, the much awaited annual film event once limited to the capital Colombo, will be held in Jaffna and Galle for the first time enabling the filmgoers to witness, enjoy and experience the rich and renowned cinema of the European region. The festival also extended to three different venues in Colombo.
In its third consecutive year, the organising committee chaired by the British Council for the first time has extended the festival beyond Colombo, to Kandy, Jaffna and to Galle. Providing great opportunities for movie lovers all over the cuntry, this year’s festival will present a collection of various, contemporary and classic European films. This festival is a shared international cultural experience that aims to promote a friendly relationship and to increase the mutual understanding between European nations and Sri Lanka.
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| Charlie Walker, Acting Country Director- British Council, NFC chairman KumarAbeysinghe and other foreign dignitaries. |
“It is a great opportunity for the people in the North to see this kind of film festival. We hope to take it to other parts of the country as well in the future,” said Charlie Walker, Acting Country Director, British Council.
“We are glad that there is an environment to conduct this kind of film festival in Jaffna,” said the National Film Corporation Chairman, Kumar Abeysinghe speaking about the maiden European film festival to be held in the once war torn North.
“It is like a travelling festival and is scheduled in such a way that everybody who is working also can watch them at different screenings in Colombo,” said Ranmali Mirchandani of British Council who is in the organising committee.
Initiated in 2008 with the objective of promoting a cross cultural dialogue through the medium of film, the festival promotes mutual understanding among European countries and Sri Lanka.
Interestingly one of the films from Switzerland revolves around Tamil expatriates living in Switzerland has a Kollywood touch. ‘The film even have some of the dialogues in Tamil,’ said Franz Schneider, Deputy Head of Mission, Switzerland.
One of the highlights of this year’s film festival Stephen Poliakoff’s latest film “Glorious 39” will be screened for the general public on November 14 at the NFC Cinema Hall and passes will be available at the British Council, Goethe Institute and Alliance Francaise de Kotte offices.
The festival with a total of 29 European films in Colombo will be held from November 5 to 14 with screenings each day at 4.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. at three venues: the Namel Malini Punchi Theatre Borella, British Council Colombo and Goethe Institute.
The films included for the festival are ‘Glorious 39’, ‘The Imagination of Dr. Parnassus’, ‘The Boat that Rocked’ and ‘Nowhere Boy’ from the United Kingdom, ‘Happy Together’ and ‘Hector’ from Belgium, ‘La tete de Maman’ (Mom’s Head), ‘La filled u RER’ (The Girl on the Train), ‘Welcome’, and ‘Jean de la Fontaine, le defi’ (Jean de la Fontaine, the Challenge) from France, ‘Yella’, ‘Soul Kitchen’, ‘Im Winter ein Jahr’ (Im Winter ein Jahr) and ‘Vier Minuten’ (4 Minutes) from Germany, ‘La Rabbia di Pasolini’ (The Rage of Pasolini), ‘Ma Che ci Faccio qui’ (What the hell am I doing here), ‘Centochiodi’ (One Hundred nails) and ‘Generazione Mille Euro’ (Generation Thousand Euros) from Italy, ‘Duska’, ‘Storm Bound’ and ‘Zoo Rangers in South America’ from the Netherlands, ‘Marias Menn’ (Maria’s Men) ‘Upperdog’, ‘Mannen som elsket Yngve’ (The Man who loved Yngve) and ‘Reprise’ from Norway, ‘Choin- pragnienie milosci’ (Chopin- Desire for Love) from Poland and ‘Madly in Love’ and ‘Tandoori Love’ from Switzerland.
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| ‘Glorious 39’ |
‘Tandoori Love’ |
The festivals in Galle will be from November 17 – 21 at 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. at National Maritime Museum, Galle. In Kandy the festival will take place from November 25 to 29 with screenings each day at 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. at the E.L Senanayake Library Hall while the festival in Jaffna will take place from December 1 to 5 with screenings each day at 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. at the Centre for Performing Arts Theatre Complex.
The European Union Delegation, British Council, Goethe Institute, Alliance Francaise de Kotte, the French, Dutch, Swiss, Italian and Norwegian embassies and Polish and Belgian Consulates in Sri Lanka, along with the National Film Corporation have organised the film festival. |
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