The time of film festivals have descended upon us! Film buffs, industry professionals and film students have much to look forward to this December and November with two International Film Festivals hitting the states of Goa and Kerala in November and December this year. The IFFI, held in Goa every year, is coming back for its 53th edition from 20th to 28th November. The IFFK will be held from the 9th to the 16th of December for its 27th edition in Trivandrum.
Film festivals have a unique allure because they host a congregation of the most brilliant people who have dedicated their entire lives to the art and craft of film. The carefully-curated screenings of the most novel movies that have been made this year are also something that enthusiasts look forward to. On that note, here are five independent Indian movies that push the limits of what think about Indian films. These films will be exclusively screened at these festivals, so hurry up and get your tickets!
1. Amar Colony
Siddharth Chauhan’s debut feature film ‘Amar Colony’ dances in between the real and the surreal. Set in Shimla, Amar Colony is the story of a crippled widow demanding respect for her beloved pigeon; a pregnant woman caught in the maze of loneliness who finds her escape in a tomato; and a devotee of Lord Hanuman who battles paranoia with a mace. Amar Colony is actually one of the few surrealist films of India, which gives it all the more a reason to check out. The film will be screened at IFFK.
2. Anur: Eyes on the Sunshine
Filmmaker Monjul Baruah’s third feature film Anur: Eyes on the Sunshine, has been selected for the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ section of the IFFK. The Assamese film explores the motifs of grief and loneliness commonly experienced in widowhood. Following the loss of her spouse, an elderly and retired teacher named Anur struggles with the memories of her late husband. She collapses into a life of deep loneliness until it’s invaded one day by an aged man who comes to sun himself on the lawn of her house.
3. Shesh Pata
Atanu Ghosh’s film Shesh Pata has also been selected for the ‘Indian Cinema Now’ section of the IFFK. The movie tells a story about ethical beliefs, the battles with our conscience and looking for hope at the end of the dark tunnel. The film follows Balmiki, a haughty nonconformist novelist who gained notoriety for his unorthodox topics throughout the 1980s and 1990s in the Bangla film industry. However, a sudden turn of circumstances alters his fate, forcing him to live a life of seclusion.
4. India Lockdown
Set to premiere at the IFFI Goa, the Madhur Bhandarkar film throws spotlight on the government’s 21-day lockdown decision that was taken almost overnight during the pandemic. The film follows the stories of four different people from different sections of society whose lives were disproportionately affected by the announcement.
5. Kurangu Pedal
This Tamil language children’s film will be shown at the IFFI and it depicts a school boy who wants to learn to ride a cycle while his father is unable to teach him. This film is a heart-warming rural drama that follows the relationship between the eight year old boy and his father. Directed by Kamalakannan, the film was created with the intention of artistically showcasing honest role models for children instead of unrealistic superheros. One of the film’s major theme is how our parents can be recreated as both heroes and villains in our eyes.
