Bouquets and Brickbats for many films

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just two days left for the 16th IFFK to conclude, ten films in various categories had their one-time screening on Wednesday. ‘Here Comes the Rain’ in the Arab Spring section, ‘The Legend of Paul and Paula’ of the DEFA Films, ‘The Trial of Joan of Arc’ in Bresson retrospective, ‘Series of Short Films’ in the Adolfas Mekas retrospective,  ‘Tell us of Grandmother’, ‘Le Franc’, ‘Ninka Nanka: The Prince of Colobane’ and ‘The Little Girl who Sold the Sun’ in Mambety retrospective, ‘The Woman who Touched Legs’ in the Masumura retrospective and ‘Swayamvaram’ in the Madhu retrospective were the movies that had their first and final screening in 16th IFFK. Apart from these, the day witnessed many films receive bouquets and brickbats.Carlos Sorin’s ‘The Cat Vanishes’ in the competition category  elicited mixed responses. Rich in close-up shots and interior scenes, the film’s complex narrative style made it uneasy for the viewers to digest the film. The film that captures the pace of Mumbai and its contemporary portrait of life, ‘Mumbai Diaries’ the directorial debut of Kiran Rao was well appreciated by the viewers. The film provided, a novel visual experience regarding the life in Mumbai for many. After ‘Egg’ and ‘Honey’, Kaplanoglu’s ‘Milk’ telling the story of anxieties of Yusuf, a high-school graduate was also appreciated. ‘The Milk of Sorrow’ shown among the Best of FIPRESCI, directed by Peruvain director Claudia Llosa reflects the life of Fausta who bears the brunt of the civil conflict in the 1980s. ‘The Painting Lesson’ which had its final screening in the 16th edition of IFFK  retained the credit for being the crowd puller this time also. Masumura’s ‘The Woman who Touched Legs’, the 1960 movie deals with the story of a detective falling in love with a pickpocket.  Shalini Usha Nair’s ‘Akam’ (Palas in Bloom) an adaptation of ‘Yakshi’, the work by renowned Malayalam novelist Malayattoor Ramakrishnan too was a major attraction on day six. Aravindan Memorial lecture for this season was delivered by Tunisian filmmaker Elyes Baccar in the Sree Theatre on the topic ‘The Artist in a Revolution’.