Panaji, Nov 21 (UNI) The second day at 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) saw some great action unfold on-screen, but even more interesting events played out off-screen at the multiple venues of the coveted film festival. One of the events to unfold early in the day was the inauguration of the Mahatma Gandhi exhibition at Kala Academy by Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (Independent Chare) Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore accompanied by filmmaker Subhash Ghai and actress Poonam Dhillon.
Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, while speaking at the occasion said, “Along with entertainment and education, I am promoting films of business as well. We have also taken the opportunity to put an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi, which is one of the finest exhibitions on the Father of the Nation. It is a very interactive exhibition that has been taken around the country earlier. Now we have brought it to Goa taking the opportunity of 49th IFFI.”
This was followed by the inauguration of the State Focus section on the state of Jharkhand.
At the occassion, Amit Khare, Secretary Informationa and Broadcasting, Government of India, said, “We have begun with the State focus for the first time and we chose Jharkhand because we want to promote the filmmakers of the state. We believe that they are no less than the others. This not only increases the employment opportunities to the people but also trains them and hones their skills. Through IFFI, we want to tell that India has arrived on world platform. This has been made possible only because of positive intervention of states. Through the section of State Focus we want international artists to know how the artists from smaller cities are a powerhouse of creative talent and that they too can make some amazing films. By keeping Jharkhand as State Focus, we aim to promote culture, language and talent. We will continue to do so every year with different states.”
The delegation from Israel, as a part of Country Focus on Israel at IFFI 2018, walked the red carpet. The red carpet saw more action as the versatile playback singer Arijit Singh, who is debuting as a director with his film Sa at IFFI 2018, walked the red carpet with his wife.
Maquinez Palace, an important venue of IFFI 2018 saw a busy day with a Masterclass and a panel discussion being held in the first half of the day. The masterclass by Prasoon Joshi, titled, ‘Lyrical Imagination Unleashed’ was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the day.
IFFI 2018 had on its schedule a panel discussion on Swedish master craftsman Ingmar Bergman, as part of paying him tribute on his birth centenary. The panel discussion titled, ‘Wild At Heart, Master At Craft’ saw Mr Sunit Tandon moderate the session that featured Jannike Ahlund and Ulrika.
Ten of Ingmar Bergman films are listed in the 5th edition of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (edited by Steven Jay Schneider). He is the third best-represented director (behind Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks) and has the greatest number of writing credits on that list of any screenwriter. On the list are the films Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957), Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Winter Light (1963), Persona (1966), Hour of the Wolf (1968), Shame (1968), Cries and Whispers (1972) and Fanny and Alexander (1982).
IFFI 2018 is celebrating the birth centenary of this master filmmaker by showcasing seven best films of his career.
While speaking about the effect that Bergman had on him growing up, Sunit Tandon said, “He is one of the few filmmakers who has led to the coining of an adjective. ‘Bergmanesque’ is a word you can look up in the dictionary. It means films of the kind that Bergman made. Bergman has had a huge impact on the world of cinema.”
When asked about where Bergman and his legacy would be placed in today’s times, Ms Jannike Ahlund said, “The social issues that Bergman touched upon in his films are timeless. We will always be interested in the lack of human relationships, the lack of communication which seemed to be his overall theme. Most of his films age very well, with the exception of some of his early works.”
The panel discussion was followed by the screening of Ingmar Bergman’s film, Wild Strawberries.
The 49th International Film Festival of India begins on November 20, 2018, and will end November 28, 2018, in the city.
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