Kolkata gears up for European film festivals
Cinephiles in Kolkata have an exciting week ahead
Starting today, Kolkata’s cinephiles are in for a week long treat with two film festivals showcasing European cinema in the city’s iconic venues, Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute and Nandan.
European films have found a strong and supportive audience in the City of Joy, Kolkata, an eastern Indian city that is often reffered to as the cultural capital of India. The city, home to its own international film festival that is among the finest in the country hosts several screenings of films and documentaries across genres. In the upcoming week, the city will be hosting two such festivals, the 22nd European Union Film Festival (EUFF) as well as A French Film Festival where cinema lovers can catch up with European works, including French ones a focus for the second festival.
The 22nd EUFF, which kicked off in Chennai in southern India and has travelled to several major cities in the country will be showcasing 22 curated films from 22 European countries. With a multi-genre list of films available to watch, the festival is being held from July 14 to July 22 in the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI). For the upcoming week, SRFTI is set to showcase these varied films that include family drama, romance and adventure from countries such as Belgium, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia and 18 other European Union (EU) member countries. The European Union and the Directorate of Film Festivals have come together with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India to make this festival happen.
Tomasz Kozlowski, the Ambassador of the European Union to India stated “In this festival of award-winning European films, you will find perennial themes – the redemption of love, the resilience of youth, and the triumph of the human spirit in situations of adversity. To connect across geographies and cultures with ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and to realise that in some way we are all one family has been the exhilarating effect of all great art, and film is no exception.”
#EUFF2017 European Union Film Festival 2017 @ Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute – To 14 from 22 JULY 2017 ???️?? pic.twitter.com/jrTjQ8t9p4
— Alliance Française (@AFduBengale) June 19, 2017
He added, how Indian audience had appreciated European cinema, and reminded, that film making as an industry needed support and recognition. Speaking on the EU’s commitment to this creative industry, he added, “Recognising the importance of the art and culture sector – 4.5 pc of GDP and 8 million jobs, under its Creative Europe programme with a budget of EUR 1.46 billion, the European Union supports, inter alia, over 2,000 cinemas and the production and distribution of over 800 films.”
Franco cinephiles in for a treat
The 22nd EUFF is set to showcase interesting movies such as Kollektivet or The Commune from Denmark, L’Intrepido from Italy and Ostatnia Rodzina or The Last Family from Poland among many others. While there is a French movie also to be showcased in this festival, for those looking to catch up on more cinema from the country can head to A French Film Festival that is to be held in Nandan III, from July 15 to July 18, an iconic venue for cinema.
A French Film Festival is set to screen two films daily for the three days, and movies such as L’Amour est un Crime Parfait by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, 9 mois Ferme by Albert Dupontel and Violette by Martin Provos are set to be screened.
