BHUBANESWAR: The Indian Film Festival of Bhubaneswar entered into its final day with Agneya Singh’s MCream at GKCM Odissi Research Centre here Monday.
The film chronicles the journey of a group of university students in the quest of a mythical substance, while confronting a series of encounters that begin to unravel the myriad realities of rebellion. The film has been previously screened at London Indian Film Festival and Madrid Film Festival.
The second film to have been screened was Anamika Haksar’s Ghode ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja riya hoon. The film follows four main characters: a pickpocket, a vendor of sweet and savoury snacks, a labourer-activist, and a conductor of ‘Heritage Walks’. We see Old Delhi through their eyes – their lives, hopes, aspirations, dreams – and hear it through their various languages and dialects. Together, these walks create a visual and aural history of Old Delhi from different points of view. The film has been previously screened at The Sundance and IFFK.
The screenings were followed by a small award ceremony where Anunay Barbhuiya’s Wet Blue Tarpulin was awarded as the Best Student Film for the year. Pradyatan Bera’s Bhumigat and Syed Maisam Ali Shah’s Door Shaam Tak were also awarded the Special Jury and Special Mention award respectively.
Post the award session, the festival screened Lihaaf: The Quilt. The film is adapted from a widely anthologised story written in 1942 by Ismat Chughtai. When a young Ismat is left to stay at the Begum’s house, she realises, there lie many secrets with her. At night the great shadows formed by the quilt of Begum and her odd behaviour in the absence of Rabbo, bring to light their hidden relationship, leaving Ismat with a string of questions. The film has been previously screened at IFFK.
The final day of the festival also housed two interactive sessions. One of the sessions was a discussion with MCream’s associate director Aban Raza about her film and work. The second session was a workshop on ‘Guerrilla Filmmaking’, conducted by ‘Lorni’ fame Wanphrang K Diengdoh.
The festival closed with Raahgir, directed by ace filmmaker, Goutam Ghose. Set in Jharkhand, Raahgir narrates the story of Nathuni and Lakhua, who leave their houses and families in search of work in the nearest town. The story draws parallels between a woman who has left her paralytic husband and children back and home and an orphaned man who struggles to find his roots. It paints a tragic picture of the poorer states in the country where development is confined and constricted to small pockets of the state.
The festival has enthralled audiences across age groups over the past four days, adding to the cultural space of the vibrant city.
Students steal the show
- Anunay Barbhuiya’s Wet Blue Tarpulin was awarded the Best Student Film for the year at Indian Film Festival of Bhubaneswar
- Pradyatan Bera’s Bhumigat and Syed Maisam Ali Shah’s Door Shaam Tak were also awarded the Special Jury and Special Mention awards respectively