MAMI

If cinema must entertain, it must also evoke ideas and provoke minds. But most of Indian cinema stops with titillating one’s baser senses. It is merely once in a way that a film such as “Land Gold Women” is made that not only tells a story that engages you, but also pans across and focuses on social malaises, such as, in this case, honour killing. Written, scripted and helmed by Avantika Hari, a Tamil who grew up in Dubai and now lives in Mumbai after her recent marriage with a Bollywood producer-director, the movie is a disturbing look at honour killings in Britain.

Last year it was Andrzej Wajda’s Katyn that opened this fest. This time, Wajda is back with Sweet Rush, a markedly different effort from the extremely violent Katyn. A friendship between a middle aged woman and a young boy ends when the latter drowns in the local river. The habitual latecomer that I am, I missed the entire first half. But it did seem like a nice film.

Yesterday’s impregnable fortress looked much more relaxed today. Having already registered online, I presumed collecting my pass would be a touch-n-go affair. Not quite. The helpless helpdesk put outside served exactly two functions besides wasting space. Handing out pink forms for registration and directing you to a long queue where I was to ‘receive’ my pass.

Why call it Day 0, when it actually is Day 1? That’s because while all official press releases mention that the festival starts on the 29th, it actually does on the 30th for the ordinary junta. The opening ceremony may be a miss-able event, but the opening film has to be seen by all. It matters little if you don’t catch it while rubbing shoulders with Javed Akhtar, as long as it is scheduled for another slot during the fest. But not this time! If you could not manage to snare a pass, wait for the The Informants’ theatrical release. Sucker!