A mixed day at IFFI

The 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is nearing the home stretch but is struggling, even gasping for breath like marathon runner Jim Peters did in the early 1950s.

“It’s the same old story every year, it runs out of steam. The film culture is quite bad. Goa is a fun place and films are a serious subject,” says Raja Chandran, a film buff from Thiruvanantapuram and one must admit that the Malayalees form the majority at IFFI.

The first half of the day is better, more serious but by sunset, it becomes a mela and folks not remotely interested in films come to party there. “On my day off, I’ve been to IFFI,” said a cop but when further pressed, he admitted “No, not to see the films. Who can get those passes? Just for the fun by the riverside.”

Asghar Farhadi’s ‘The Past’ is an excellent drama of a couple in the throes of divorce. I saw it at the Mumbai Film Festival last month and it could well win the Best Foreign Language Oscar next year. Not surprisingly, Farhadi is an Iranian and the last decade belongs to Majid Majidi and his ilk.

Laxmikant Shetgaonkar’s ‘Baga Beach’ was well received but it had a mixed audience. That it was clubbed and even preceded by a documentary on a sarpanch is quite unfair. They are two different genres and Shetgaonkar, who is one of Goa’s leading filmmakers, is understandably livid about this.

“The programmers say even in Cannes this happens,” he points out. And goes on to say, “In Cannes, the documentaries are short while here they are not and in India we have a separate documentary festival.” Last year his ‘Poltodcho Munis’ was a big success at IFFI.

Some of the festival regulars have left early and one of their complaints is that they are unable to secure tickets of their choice. Guess there is no limit to the number of delegates and this is the main problem. Time and again we fail when it comes to restricting numbers.

But one plus about IFFI is the opening clip of the peacocks dance brilliantly done by Shaji Karun, especially the ending. One never tires of seeing it.