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BHUBANESWAR: The second day of the Indian Film Festival of Bhubaneswar was marked by the screening of ‘Pariyerum Perumal’, ‘Sweet Requiem’, ‘Abraham’, ‘Head on’, ‘96’, ‘Ka Bodyscape’, ‘Garbage’ and ‘Aamrityu’ at Odissi Research Centre here Friday.
Students from Utkal University and National Institute of fashion technology (NIFT) came in large numbers to watch these movies. Apart from the movie screenings, a literary session on Understanding Gaze and Visual Pleasure was also organized on the occasion.
‘Pariyerum Perumal’, a Tamil movie directed by Mari Selvaraj, was the first movie to be screened. It is based on the story of an idealistic youngster, who enrolls at a law college. He is quite optimistic about the future that lies ahead of him. However, a chain of events ensue that wake him up to the realities of the world he lives in. Selvaraj deserves credit for slipping such a powerful message subtly into a moving tale that
chronicles caste issues in Tamil Nadu.
This was followed by the screening of ‘Sweet Requiem’, a Tibetan movie by Ritu Sarin and Tenzig Sonam. The movie is inspired from an incident in September 2006 on the 5,800-metre Nangpa-La Pass on the Tibet-Nepal border. Chinese guards opened fire on a group of Tibetans attempting to escape to India and shot dead a 17-year-old nun and injured several others.
The story revolved around Dolkar, a 26-year-old exile Tibetan, lives in Delhi. 18 years ago, she escaped from Tibet with her father, making a perilous trek across the Himalayas that ended in tragedy. Dolkar has suppressed all recollection of that traumatic incident. But when she unexpectedly encounters Gompo, the guide who abandoned them during their journey, memories of her escape are reignited and she is propelled on an obsessive search for retribution and closure.
Many students shared their view about the movie saying the movie showcased the sad image of Tibetan people fighting for their survival. Vartika Bhosle of NIFT said, “The sad depiction of events in the movie is a reality check for the people.”
Another movie that caught the attention was Qaushiq Mukherjee aka Q’s movie Garbage which tells the story of three people. Panishwar is a taxi driver in Goa, living with a mysterious girl, Nanaam, who he keeps in chains. When Rami, a medical student, and a victim of revenge porn leaked online by an ex-boyfriend, seeks refuge in Goa, she stumbles into the strange but placid lives of Panishwar and Nanaam.
Theatre actor Dipanwit Dasmohapatra said Garbage traces the intersection of Right Wing ideology, gender, misogyny and religion through the intertwined journeys of it’s characters. Much more happens before the violent, table-turning ending, which will offer consolation to no one. And for me that’s the beauty of this film. I loved the sound along with the end credits roll over an enraged poem written by Priyal.
Assamese movie ‘Aamrityu’, which is based on the story of a tired rebel Amrit, who returns to his village after four years of serving a lost cause. In those four years, the virgin village he left behind had changed considerably. His little brother has grown up, more in wisdom than in age; surprising him. His father Dinanath is older, worn and somber. He still tills their land every day. He tries to pick up where he left off, but he sees people stop conversations at his sight, he hears whispers and spies stares and pointed fingers, and it troubles him. As he tries to fit back in while making an honest living, he realizes the daily drudgery of life. He doubts if coming back was the right decision.
This was followed by screening of Tamil movie ‘96’. The story is based on Ramachandran, a free-spirited travel photographer who, upon visiting his childhood town of Thanjavur and his old school, gets nostalgic and puts forth an idea to conduct a reunion for their class, the class of ’96.