CIFF 2017 - A Diary
Bharath Vijayakumar
The 15th Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF) held from Dec 14th to 21st was another opportunity for film buffs in the city to catch up with world cinema. Despite very little talk about the event or media attention, it was quite heartening to see sizeable crowds for most of the screenings. The most exciting and toughest part of these festivals is in making the right choices on what films to watch and what to skip as the screenings would be happening in parallel across a handful of venues.It gives quite a rush to hop across these venues after each show to be in time for the next film, not to forget the need to fit in your lunch sometime in between.The IMDB synopsis and a few random reviews are what I had for reference in making my choices. These festivals also tend to give you a temporary high as a result of your false pride which is the by product of incorrectly picturing yourself as an intellectual about to feast on world cinema :)
Short notes on few films that I managed to catch up with -
Yasamek Guzel Sey (Life is Lovely) - Turkey
A lovely little film that keeps you laughing and emotional at the same time. It has a lot to say about a whole lot of things - capitalism, the government's indifference to the average citizen, the education system, the magic of love and most importantly about life itself. The protagonist definitely preaches but it is so nicely and cleverly woven as a part of the story. An extremely important film of our times, this one is a must watch.
Petit Paysan (Bloody Milk) - France
Leisurely paced but a compelling watch about a farmer fighting against odds to save his herd of cows after news about an epidemic outbreak in close vicinity leaves him stressed out.
Un profil pour deux (Mr Stein Goes Online) - France
A light hearted take about a 79 year old man trying to find love as soon as he learns about the anonymity that the internet offers him. 'The pretending to be someone else' conceit isn't new but the film largely works, thanks to the actors.
Sex Cowboys - Italy
An uninspiring narrative about a sexually charged couple who resort to amateur pornography to make ends meet by filming themselves. I wasn't able to make out what this film was trying to convey. The excited audience at the start clearly reiterated that 'sex sells' even at a film festival. But the film turned out to be a tedious watch.
Nuts - Lebanon
A black comedy narrated as chapters with some interesting ideas, this really did not come together as a whole
Gutland - Luxembourg
This atmospheric thriller with an eerie feel made for a compelling watch. Slow paced on purpose, this was a showcase on how exquisite filmmaking can suck you in.
Good Time - America
This race against the time thriller plays out like your average Hollywood action film but with some solid acting and a real sense of underlying gloom.
The Great Buddha - Taiwan
This black comedy stood out with its unique treatment. The age old ploy of the director giving voice-over at various points gets a cheeky makeover and is nicely done. The film does not reveal everything and lets us to connect the dots. One of those black comedies that actually leaves us with a slightly heavier heart.
Katie Says Goodbye - America
A touching drama about a small town girl that is fueled by a superlative performance of its lead actress Olivia Cooke.
Doua Lozuri (TWO LOTTERY TICKETS) - Romania
This was possibly the best time I had at the cinemas recently with respect to comedy. Comedy possibly cannot be more subtle. The 3 lead actors were effortlessly superb. Another reminder that something very unassuming might be the most potent. Strongly recommended.