Shimla’s own film extravaganza tees off

Bhanu P Lohumi

The fifth International Film Festival of Shimla got to a spectacular start with the screening of “Are You Volleyball”, an entry from Tehran (Iran). The 15-minute short movie by Mohammad Bakhshi is about refugees trying to enter another territory.

A group of Arabian speaking asylum-seekers arrives in an English-speaking country border but can’t keep going. They are engaged in a conflict with soldiers deployed at the border until a deaf, mute baby becomes a catalyst for better communication between the two groups through volleyball. The film-maker has 80 awards and 30 nominations to his name from more than 260 national and international film festivals.  

As many as 76 films — 30 international, 36 national, nine Himachali and one in the non-competitive category — are being screened in the three-day film festival (October 4 to 6) in which 30 directors are participating. An open forum on challenges in film-making (independent cinema) is another highlight of the event.

The entries are from 29 countries, including Iran, Israel, China and United Kingdom, in the feature film, documentary, short films and animation categories. A large number of national award winning films will be shown, says Pushpraj Thakur, Managing Director (Himalayan Velocity) and also the festival director.

“We were into film-making and our film ‘No women’s Land’ was screened everywhere but in Himachal people were not aware of it. That is why we decided to start the Shimla International Film Festival,” says Thakur. The idea was to provide a platform to independent film-makers, especially from Himachal, and help them to screen their films before local audiences.

People in the hill state of Himachal were not much aware of the independent cinema and the festival was started in Shimla in 2015. The movies will also be screened in the Kanda Model Jail for inmates.

Epic Channel is the screening and distribution partner and will screen the best films of the festival. Films recommended by the Indian Documentary Producers Association will also be displayed.

CineSud, a dynamic and fast-growing film hub in the heart of the Netherlands, has also sent three films – “Straight to the gallows”, “Fucking Cola” and “Convoi Exceptionnel”. The festival will also showcase music video “Chamba Patne, Yaad Aave”. 

Six national award winning feature films, namely “Baaram” (Tamil), “Olu” (Malayalam), “Mahanti” (Telugu), “To Let” (Tamil), “Walking with the Wind” (Ladakhi) and “Village Rockstars” (Manipuri) will also be screened. “Village Rockstars” is a magnificent work of feminism and was India’s official entry to the Oscars. It has been sent by the Directorate of Film Festival, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

“Village Rockstars” by Rima Dass is about a pre-pubescent girl (Dhunu), who lives in a village in Assam with her widow mother. Dhunu wants to start a band and own a real guitar; she and her friends have made makeshift musical instruments from cardboard and discarded utility goods, and pretend to play them as a band, head-banging like rockstars.

Popular international films

“Chidra” is a 40-minute documentary film by Tel Aviv-based film-maker Nadav Harel. It is about the transformation of Ram Nath, a highland peasant, into the master of ceremonies, a powerful redeemer who cuts holes in the fabric of society, collecting sins in a cosmic trap that only he can operate during rituals after every few years. The film is based on an undocumented mysterious ritual of purification in Kullu.

“Dance of Joy” by Christine Booth is an entry from London (UK). The documentary is about how the Jaipur Foot Centre in India provides artificial limbs quickly and easily that too free of charge to amputees all over the world. The film-maker has written and directed many documentaries for NHK TV, Channel 4 and the RNIB.

Indian movies with a message 

“Pani” is a short five-minute Indian film that talks about the impacts of contaminated water or scarcity of water on human lives in year 2070. The film is based on a power-point presentation by a former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. It comes from Rajesh Amrohi, who is renowned for his documentary films such as “Bulla Connects”, “Ustad Amjad Ali Khan” and “Nomads of Dhauladhar”. 

“Rockumentary: Evolution of India Rock” is an English documentary from Bhopal that throws light on the Simla Beat contest of 1970s, which nurtured the Rock ‘N’ Roll music in India. The film by Abhimanyu Kukreja, a writer, director and producer, also has the answer to the questions who recorded the first Indian Rock ‘N’ Roll album and who were the big western bands that changed the fortunes of Indian Rock music.

“Ripples: Tarang” is an 18-and-a-half-minute short Marathi fiction. It is a story of Lata, a disabled girl studying in a Zila Parishad School. She participates in a competition and brings laurels to her school. “Tarang” emphasises on the importance of organ donation. The film by National Bal Shree award winner Sumeet Patil gives the message that one who overcomes disability and performs to the best of one’s ability achieves the path of glory.

Platform for Himachali films

“Glide Bir Biling” by Novita Singh is a documentary film from Himachal. Set in the scenic Himalayan village of Bir, the film explores the idea of adventure through the eyes of different pilots, as they narrate the story of Bir and the experience of flying there. Bir is one of the best sites in the world for long distance or cross-country flying.

“Budhi Diwali” is a 20-minute documentary film on the celebration of the traditional festival of Budhi Diwali in remote areas of Shillai and Sangrah tehsils of Sirmour district in Himachal. It is believed in these areas that the festival has its roots in the Mahabharata and people rejoice in gaiety to celebrate the victory of Pandavas over Kauravas. The film by Mela Ram Sharma bagged the Special Jury Award in the Kala Smrudhi International Film Festival in Mumbai in June 2019. 

“Dan: The Himalayan Ibex” by Devkanya Thakur is about women of tribal Lahaul and Spiti coming forward for the protection of this Himalayan Ibex to save it from extinction. 

76 movies to be screened

As many as 76 films — 30 international, 36 national, nine Himachali and one in the non-competitive category — are being screened in the three-day film festival (October 4 to 6) in which 30 directors are participating. The entries are from 29 countries, including Iran, Israel, China and the UK, in the feature film, documentary, short films and animation categories. A large number of national award winning films will be shown. An open forum on challenges in film-making (independent cinema) is another highlight. 

Magnificent work of feminism

“Village Rockstars” by Rima Dass is about a pre-pubescent girl (Dhunu), who lives in a village in Assam with her widow mother. Dhunu wants to start a band and own a real guitar; she and her friends have made makeshift musical instruments from cardboard and discarded utility goods, and pretend to play them as a band, head-banging like rockstars.