11th International Film Festival of Thrissur 2016

MIFF-2016 -Films-selected in national and international competition

                                                         

List of films selected in National Competition for MIFF-2016 

 

MIFF-2016 -Films-selected in national and international competition

             

List of films selected in International Competition for MIFF-2016                                                                 

       

20th IFFK 2015- FEFKA CONFERRED MASTER'S AWARD TO VETERAN FILM MAKER K.G.GEORGE

FEFKA ,the Film Employees Federation of Kerala has  felicitated K.G George ,the veteran malayalam film Director  during the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of Kerala (20th IFFK ) .Daruish Mehrji ,director from Iran and this year's lifetime achievement award winner presented the Fefka Master's award, consists a memento and a purse of Rs 10 lacs, to K.G.George .Minister for Cinema Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan honoured him with the customary 'Ponnaada'

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The audience paid a standing ovation to the veteran Director.Kamal,B.Unnikrishnan,Sibi Malayil,G.S.Vijayan,Ranjith ,Shaji Karun and Rajeevnath were also present.FEFKA is a union of film technicians in Kerala. Swapnaadanam (1976),Vyaamoham (1978) , Iniyaval Urangatte (1978) Kolangal (1981),Yavanika (1982), Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983),Panchavadippaalam (1984),Adaaminte Variyellu (1984),Irakal (1985),Kadhaykku Pinnil (1987),Mattoraal (1988),Ee Kanni Koodi (1990),Oru Yaathrayude Anthyam (1988) are some of George's  notable films.

The 20th edition of the International Film Festival of India (20thiffk 2015) concluded this evening with the award presentation ceremony and screening of the film OTTAAL which won the Suwarna Chakoram (Golden Pheasant Crow ) and other three awards

Life time Achievment Award of the IFFK was presented to  Dariush Mehrjui,Iranian Director who was instrumental for the new wave films in Iran .He is described as a pioneer  film Director who opened the door of Iranian IFFK  were presented by P.Sadasivam (Retired Justice) ,Governor of Kerala .Minister Thoruvanchiyoor Radhakrishnan presided over the function. V.S Achuthanandan made felicitation speech.Rani George,Secretary to Government ,Rajeevnath Festival Director,Shaji Karun Festival Adviser and Rajendran Nair Academy Secretary were also present.Following the closing ceremony  and award presentation, the film Ottaal was screened.

Suwarna Chakoram (Golden Pheasant Crow ) for the best Film bagged by  OTTAAL(TheTrap) , a film from India  and directed by  Jayaraj . The  Memento ,Certificate and an award price of 15 Lacs.

   

Rajatha Chakoram(Silver Pheasant Crow )  for the Best Director given to Jun Robles Lana for the film Shadow behind the Moon from Philippines. It is a one take drama about two members of an insurgency outfit and a military man: Certificate, Memento & award Price INR 4 Lacs/‐.Rajatha Chakoram for The Best Debut Director goes to Abu Shahad Emon for his film Jalal’s story.The film is from Bangladesh. Award :Certificate, Memento & INR 3 Lacs/‐

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FIPRESCI Award: Best International Film bagged by OTTAAL(TheTrap)  , a film from India  and directed by  Jayaraj Award: Certificate and Memento.FIPRESCI Award: Best Malayalam Film awarded to  Ozhivudivasathe Kali ( An off day game) , directed by   Sanalkumar Sasidharan. Award Price: Certificate & Memento.

NETPAC Award: Best Asian Film Award Price: Certificate & Memento  : Yona directed by Nir Bergman from Israel.

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NETPAC Award: Best Malayalam Film  OTTAAL(TheTrap)  , a film from India  and directed by Jayaraj:  Award Price: Certificate& Memento.Rajatha Chakoram for best film selected by Audience :The Audience Poll Award goes to  OTTAAL (TheTrap)  , a film from India  and directed by  Jayaraj Award: Certificate, Memento & INR 2 Lacs/‐ Altogether OTTAAL bagged four awards in this festival itself..The film won National Award 2014  for Best Director. The story of this film is an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s eternal story 'Vanka'

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20th IFFK- 20th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) marked the beginning with the mesmerizing performance of Ustad Zakir Hussain

A poignant and mesmerizing  rendering by Tabala maestro Ustad  Zakir Hussain accompanied by Sabir Khan in Saragi marked the beginning of the 20th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), the prestigious film festival of Kerala. Foreign delegates ,media people and special invitees attended the gathering. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy lit the traditional lamp marking the opening of the week-long extravaganza in the presence of  dignitaries including foreign delegates  and  Jury Chairman Julio Bressane. Addressing the gathering, Chandy said IFFK is the second largest film festival of this kind in Asia in terms of the delegate participation."The world has now become a village and we get an  aroma of the culture, tradition and life of people there through this festival and festival elsewhere” Ommen Chandy said.In his key note address, Zakir Hussain said he was "overwhelmed and delighted" to bethe  part of IFFK."India is a place of culture...a place that imbibes incredible tradition...a way of life...in Kerala in particular," he said.Lauding the rich cultural tradition of the state, he said, "Whether it is Thayambaka,  Idakka,  Chenda, Maddalam or Kathakali performances, it is an incredibly rich cultural heritage this state represents." The tabala genius also said he had the previlage of learning from many gurus of the state.Later, Hussian enthralled the audience with his brief but magical performance. 'Wolf Totem' by Jean-Jacques Annuad, was screened as the opening film . A total of 176 films from 70 countries will be screened at 13 venues across the city at the festival, organised by state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy. Sideline events such as Open Forum, Meet the Director, In Conversation and Master Class sessions as also the Aravindan Memorial Lecture, panel discussions and seminars will be held as part of the festival.Over 12,000 are expected to attend the gala this year which will be concluded on December 11.

20th IFFK-Chief Minister Omman Chandy will inaugurate today evening

കേരളത്തിന്റെ ഇരുപതാമത് അന്തർദേശിയ ചലച്ചിത്രമേളയ്‌ക്ക് ഇന്ന് തിരിതെളിയും

ചലച്ചിത്ര ആസ്വാദകരുടെ പ്രതീക്ഷക്കൊത്ത് വളർന്ന്, ഇരുപതിൽ എത്തി നിൽക്കുന്ന ,കേരളത്തിന്റെ രാജ്യാന്തര ചലച്ചിത്രമേളയ്‌ക്ക് ഇന്ന് തിരിതെളിയും.അറുപതിലധികം രാജ്യങ്ങളില് നിന്നുള്ള 178 സിനിമകളാണ് ഇത്തവണ  മേളയിൽ ഉണ്ടാവുക .മത്സര വിഭാഗത്തില് 14 ചിത്രങ്ങളും ലോകസിനിമാ വിഭാഗത്തില് 90 സിനിമകളുമാണ് പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. ലിത്വാനിയയില് നിന്നും മ്യാന്മറില് നിന്നുമുള്ള സിനിമകള് ഇതാദ്യമായി ഈ ച ലച്ചിത്രോത്സവത്തിനെത്തുന്നു എന്ന പ്രത്യേകതയുമു ണ്ട്.ഓസ്കര് അവാര്ഡിനായി നിര്ദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ട 19 ചിത്രങ്ങള് മേളയില് പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിക്കും. അഞ്ചു ചിത്രങ്ങളുടെ ലോക പ്രീമിയര്, രണ്ട് ചിത്രങ്ങളുടെ ഏഷ്യന് പ്രീമിയര്, 53 ചിത്രങ്ങളുടെ ഇന്ത്യന് പ്രീമിയര് എന്നിവ ഈവര്ഷത്തെ മേളയുടെ പ്രത്യേകതയാണ്. മേളയുടെ 20വര്ഷത്തെ ചരിത്രത്തില് ആദ്യമായാണ് ഇത്രയധികം ആദ്യപ്രദര്ശനങ്ങള് നടത്തുന്നത്. ഫസ്റ്റ് ലുക്ക് വിഭാഗത്തില് ഏഴും സ്ത്രീ ശക്തി വിഭാഗത്തില് ഏഴും ചിത്രങ്ങളുണ്ട്. ത്രീഡി വിഭാഗത്തില് ആറും സമകാലീന മാസ്റ്റര് വിഭാഗത്തില് ഫ്രഞ്ച് സംവിധായകനായ ടോണി ഗാറ്റ്ലിഫിന്റെ അഞ്ചു ചിത്രങ്ങളും റിട്രോസ്പെക്ടീവ് വിഭാഗത്തില് ദാരുഷ് മെഹ്ജിയുടെ ആറു ചിത്രങ്ങളും ജൂറി ഫിലിംസ് വിഭാഗത്തില് മൂന്ന് ചിത്രങ്ങളും പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. പുനരുദ്ധരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ക്ലാസിക്കുകള് എന്ന വിഭാഗത്തില് ആറു ചിത്രങ്ങളുണ്ടാവും. ഇറാനിയന് സംവിധായകന് ജാഫര് പനാഹിയുടെ ഏറ്റവും പുതിയ ചിത്രമായ ടാക്സി ഈ മേളയിലെ സവിശേഷ ശ്രദ്ധ അര്ഹിക്കുന്ന സിനിമ. 65-ാമത് ബെർലിൻ അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര ചലച്ചിത്രമേളയിലെ മത്സരവിഭാഗത്തില് പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിച്ച ചിത്രം ഗോള്ഡന് ബിയറും ഫിപ്രസി പുരസ്കാരവും നേടി..  പ്രശസ്ത ഫ്രഞ്ച് ചലച്ചിത്രകാരന് ടോണി ഗാറ്റ്ലിഫിന്റെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ട അഞ്ചു ചിത്രങ്ങള് പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് .ഇന്ത്യയുടെ 46-മത് ചലച്ചിത്ര മേളയിൽ പ്രദർശിപ്പിച്ച  അൻപതോളം  ചിത്രങ്ങൾ ഈ മേളയിലും എത്തുന്നു .മേളക്ക്  മുഖ്യ മന്ത്രി ഉമ്മൻ ചാണ്ടി തിരി തെളിയിക്കും .തബല മാന്ത്രികൻ സക്കീർ ഹുസൈൻ മുഖ്യ അഥിതി ആയിരിക്കും .ഇറാനിയൻ സംവിധായകൻ മെഹ്ർജുയി ലൈഫ് ടൈം അച്ചീവ്‌മെന്റ് അവാർഡ്‌ ഏറ്റു വാങ്ങും .ഉത്ഘാടന ചിത്രമായ  WOLF TEM എന്ന 3 ഡി ചിത്രം പ്രദർശിപ്പിക്കും.  പുതുതായി സജ്ജീകരിച്ച നിശാഗന്ധി യിലാണ് ഉദ്ഘാടന ചടങ്ങ് .

  

20th IFFK -2015- My Choice

My Choice for 20th IFFK 2015

1 Mustang                            
2. Degrade                            
3. Diary of a Chambermaid   
4 Lamb
5 Marguerite                       
6 The Measure of a man   
7  Wondrous Boccaccio  

8  Mountains may depart
9  Taxi     

10. Embrace of the Serpent
11  Land and Shade

12 Tajmahal  

13.My Skinny Sister  

14.Afferim

15.Body

   (all 15 above shown in IFFI 2015)

16The thin yellow line

17.Stop –Kim ki Duk (not good as his previous films)

18.Right now wrong then

19.Ashbah –Mehrjui

20.Franco Fonia-Aleksander Sukarov

21 A very ordinary citizen     

22.Life of Pi- Ang lee (2012 Film won many a awards)

23.Cinema wallah –Kaushik Ganguly(won the ICFT-Unesco Fellini Prize -46th IFFI)

24.Love (if you like sexual overtones)

25.Deepan

20th IFFK-Ashbah Film by Dariush Mehrjui Life time Achievement Award Winner 20th International Film Festival of Kerala

Ashbah 

Iran / Persian / 2014

A drunken, boorish general tyrannises his wife and his maid. When the wife discovers that her husband and the maid are having an affair, she turns the maid out of the house, little realising that the young woman is pregnant with the general’s child. Years later, the general is dead, and a younger generation has risen with a new outlook on life and new problems to face… This flamboyantly stylised melodrama, loosely adapted from Ibsen, is the newest work by one of the legendary figures of  Iran’s new wave.
Dariush Mehrjui is an Iranian Director ,screen writer ,producer and film editor.He  was one of the founder members of Iranian New wave cinema. His second film, Gaav is considered to be the first film of this movement, which also included Masoud Kimiai and Nasser Taqvai. Most of his films are inspired by literature and adapted from Iranian and foreign novels and plays.

In 1959, Mehrjui moved to the United States to study at University of California, Los Angeles  (UCLA) Department of Cinema. One of his teachers there was Jean Renoir, whom Mehrjui credited for teaching him how to work with actors. Mehrjui was dissatisfied with the film program due to its emphasis on the technical aspects of film and the quality of most of the teachers. Mehrjui has said of his educators, “They wouldn’t teach you anything very significant…because the teachers were the kind of people who had not been able to make it in Hollywood themselves…[and would] bring the rotten atmosphere of Hollywood to the class and impose it on us.”   He switched his major to philosophy and graduated from UCLA in 1964.

Mehrjui started his own literary magazine in 1964, Pars Review. The magazine’s intention was to bring contemporary Persian literature to western readers. During this time he wrote his first script with the intention of filming it in Iran. He moved back to Tehran in 1965.Back in Tehran, Mehrjui found employment as a journalist and screenwriter.  From 1966 to 1968 he was a teacher at Tehran’s Center for Foreign Language Studies, where he taught classes in literature and English language. He also gave lectures on films and literature at the Center for Audiovisual Studies through the University of Tehran..

  

  

   

20th IFFK 2015-Opening film-WOLF TOTEM / LE DERNIER LOUP

Opening film

WOLF TOTEM / LE DERNIER LOUP

China, France/ 2015 / Colour / 119 mins / Mongolian / Jean-Jacques Annaud

Impressively staged animal action sequences spice up an unconvincingly drawn human drama

French director Jean-Jacques Annaud adapts the Chinese bestseller about a Beijing youngster who adopts a wolf cub in Inner Mongolia during the Cultural Revolution.

 In 1967, a young Beijing student, Chen Zhen, is sent to Inner Mongolia to  live among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia. . But it is in fact Chen who has a lot to learn – about life in this vast, hostile, and breathtaking land, about the notion of community, liberty, and responsibility, and about the most feared and venerated creature of the steppes, the wolf. Seduced by the complex and almost mystical bond between these sacred creatures and the shepherds, he captures a wolf cub in order to tame it. But the burgeoning relationship between man and animal – along with the tribe's traditional way of life and the future of the world itself – is threatened when a regional representative of the central authority decides to do whatever it takes to eliminate wolves from the region.

Cast: Feng Shaofeng, Shawn Dou, Ankhnyam Ragchaa, Yin Zusheng, Basen Zhabu, Baoyingxige

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Screenplay: Jean-Jacques Annaud, Alain Godard, Lu Wei, John Collee, based on the novel by Jiang Rong

Producers: La Peikang, Xavier Castano, Jean-Jacques Annaud

Executive producers: La Peikang,
Zhao Duojia,
Cao Yin,
Allen Wang,
Xu Jianhai

Director of photography: Jean-Marie Dreujou

Production designer: Quan Rongzhe

Costume designer: Ma Ying Bo

Editor: Reynald Bertrand

Music: James Horner

Special effects supervisors: Christian Rajaud, Guo Jinquan

Casting: Jessica Chen

Sales: Wild Bunch 

118 minutes

About the Director

Jean-Jacques Annaud

Born in 1943, the French director Jean-Jacques Annaud began his career with a bang: his debut feature La Victoire En Chantant, a parable about colonialism, won an Academy Award in 1977. Originally active in the advertising sector, Annaud’s name reached beyond the circle of purely French cineastes to include a much wider audience when he directed the multi award-winning literary adaptation The Name of The Rose (1986). His boundless curiosity and enthusiasm for spectacular themes enables him over and again to bridge the gap between art and commerce. The director of such cinema hits as Seven Years In Tibet (1997) and Enemy At The Gates (2001). Wolf Totem (2015) is his thirteenth film.

46th IFFI - ‘Embrace of the Serpent ‘bags Golden Peacock- Curtains down with award presentation in a grand closing ceremony

 Kaushik Ganguly’s ‘Cinemawala’ honoured with the UNESCO-Fellini medal 

-         Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov 

The 11 day long  46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded this evening with a splendid closing rite at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium attended by the Governor of Goa, Ms. Mridula Sinha, Chief Minister of Goa  Shri Laxmikant Parsekar, Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and I&B Secretary Shri Sunil Arora. Internationally acclaimed music director A. R. Rahman
was the chief gust on the closing ceremony.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnpvsWtrx5s)

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The dance group, which shot to fame after winning reality talent show, India's Got Talent 2 presented a choral-style performance on the musical journey of Indian cinema. Famous Sand Artist, Rahul Arya presented his mesmerizing sand art performance at the ceremony. 

The Award Winners are:

 ‘Embrace of the Serpent’ (Al Abrazo de la Serpiente) bagged theBest Film Award. The film produced by Christina Gallego and directed by Ciro Guerra depicts the first contact, encounter, approach, betrayal and eventually life transcending friendship between Amazonian shaman Karamakate and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant.  The film is shot in the Amazonian rain forest in richly detailed black and white. The Best Film Award comprises the Golden Peacock and a citation with a prize money of Rs 40 lakhs (Rs 4 million) to be shared between the Director and the Producer.

Peter Greenaway bagged The Best Director award  for the film ‘Eisenstein in Guanajuato’. Greenway portrays the lead character Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein as an eccentric, self absorbed artiste who travels to a new place and culture and is forced by the experiences he has there to question his assumptions about himself and Stalinist Russia. Peter Greenway is a British film Director, initially trained as a painter, who later took to film making.  The Best Director is presented with a Silver Peacock, a citation and a prize money of Rs 15 lakhs (Rs 1.5 million)

The Best Actor (Male) award  went to Vincent Lindon for his portrayal of a laid off factory worker Thierry Taogourdeau in the film ‘The Measure of a Man’.  The film, a French social drama turns the spotlight on ordinary people who are pushed by circumstances to the corners.

The Best Actor (Female) award was shared by Gunes Sensoy, Doga Doguslu, Tugba Sunguroglu, Elit Iscan andIlyada Akdogan for portrayal of role of five young orphaned sisters in the Turkish fim ‘Mustang.  The film set in a remote Turkish village depicts the life of five young orphaned sisters and challenges they face growing up as girls in a conservative society.

The Best Actor – Male and Female awards carrying the Silver Peacock, citation and a prize money of Rs 10 lakhs each (Rs 1 million)

The Special Jury Award went to the Spanish film ‘Sealed Cargo’ (Carga Sellada) directed by Julia Vargas.  The Special Jury Award carries a Silver Peacock, citation and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakhs (Rs 1.5 million)

The Serbian film ‘Enclave’ directed by Goran Radovanovic got the special mention award. The main theme of the film is life of Kosovo Serbs in small isolated communities, called enclaves

The International Jury of IFFI 2015 headed by Shekhar Kapur, UK based director, Micheal Radford, Palestinian based Israel director, Ms. Suha Arraf, German Actress, Julia Jentsch and South Korean filmmaker Jeon Kyu-Hwan were the members in the Jury.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Russian film maker, actor and head of Russian Cinematographers’ Union Nikita Mikhalkov was conferred upon the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 46^th International Film Festival of India. Mikhalkov trained as an actor at the Shchukin School and studied direction under Mikhail Romm.  At Home Among Strangers (1974) was his first feature, while he garnered international recognition with ‘A Slave of Love’ .Greatly popular for his portrayal of the memorable Sergei in ‘Burnt by the Sun’, Mikhalkov has built up a reputation as an actor's director, winning numerous international awards.  IFFI 2015 had a special tribute section of Mikhalkov’s films, screening his masterpieces – ‘Sunstroke’, ‘the Barber of Siberia’ and ‘Burnt by the Sun’.  The Lifetime Achievement Award carries a Silver Peacock, certificate, shawl and a scroll along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs (Rs 1 million)

ICFT – UNESCO Fellini Medal

The ICFT – UNESCO Fellini Medal was awarded to Kaushik Ganguly’s ‘Cinemawala’ that focuses on the sad state of single screen cinema halls in West Bengal.  In collaboration with International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), Paris, and UNESCO the UNESCO Fellini Award was presented at IFFI for the first time this year. This medal is given to a film that reflects the socio-cultural ideals promoted by UNESCO.


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Argentinean  crime thriller  ‘El Clan’  was the closing film of the fest . The Clan is a 2015 Argentine crime film directed by Pablo Trapero. It was selected to be screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival where director Pablo Trapero won the Silver Lion 

46th IFFI 2015 -all set for a grand closing ceremony

The 11 day long  46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will conclude this evening with a splendid closing rite at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium.Rajyavardhan Rathore ,Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Mridula Sinha ,Goa Governor, Laxmikant Parsekar ,Goa Chief Minister and, Sunil Arora, Secretary I&B will honour the closing ceremony. Music composer A R Rahman is the Chief Guest of the evening. Actors Lillete Dubey and Kabir Bedi will perform the comparing .Damodar Naik ,Vice Chairman, Entertainment Society of Goa, , R K Srivastava ,Chief Secretary, Government of Goa, Lola Poggi Goujon, Secretary General ICFT, Ameya Abhyankar , CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa, will also be present at the function. The dance group, which shot to fame after winning reality talent show, India's Got Talent 2 will present a choral-style performance on the musical journey of Indian cinema.Famous Sand Artist, Rahul Arya will also present his mesmerising sand art performance at the ceremony. Argentinean  crime thriller  ‘El Clan’  will be the closing film of this fest . The Clan is a 2015 Argentine crime film directed by Pablo Trapero. It was selected to be screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival where director Pablo Trapero won the Silver Lion Argentina in the 1980s. Within a typical family home in the neighbour hood of San Isidro, a sinister clan makes its living off kidnapping and murder. Arquímedes, the patriarch, heads and plans the operations. Alejandro, his eldest son, is a star rugby player. He identifies possible candidates for kidnapping; his popularity shields him from suspicion. All the family members are accomplices in this dreadful venture as they live off the large ransoms paid by the families of their victims. Based on the true story of the Puccio family, this film takes place in the final years of the Argentine military dictatorship and incipient return to democracy.