'PIFF' IN ITS REGULAR PATTERN!
After a gap of a few years, I
attended 'Pune International Film Festival'. This time it was '24th
PIFF' which happened in its regular pattern!
Opening film was
renowned Italian screenwriter-director Paolo Sorrentino's 'La Grazia'
(2025). It's about a widowed president (author's imaginary protagonist)
who faces moral crises! Veteran actor Toni Servillo did this role
intensely. Sorrentino made this quiet complex drama for which editor
Cristiano Travaglioli and cinematographer Daria D'Antonio did effective
work. While watching its fog sequence, I remembered great Michelangelo
Antonioni's 'Red Desert' (1964) scene!
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Czech-Slovakia film 'Waves' (2024)
written & directed by Jiri Madl. |
This time theme of 'PIFF'
was 'Celebrating 100 years of great actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt' and they showed his 'Pyaasa'
(1957). This is my most favourite film which is a story of sensitive
poet & his self tribulation! Specifically it's a reflection of great Sahir
Ludhiyanvi & his shayari/poetry which Guru Dutt portrayed very
intensely! This heart touching film I already watched so many times and
wrote a lot on it!There was also centenary tribute to Bengali
master filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. He was a contemporary of renowned
filmmakers Satyajit Ray & Mrinal Sen! Mostly known for his emotional
social films..close to Neo-realistic Cinema! (I wrote an exclusive
article on him.) His first film 'Nagorik' (1952) reflected lower
middle-class emotions and unemployment..with documentary realism! But
this film released twenty-four years later (after his death) in 1977. So
missed the honour of becoming pioneer of art and neo-realistic Indian
cinema. And that honour went to Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' which
released in 1955! His one more classic I admire is 'Meghe Dhaka Tara'
(1960) and its Supriya Choudhari's crying scene with nature-sky! But in
festival there was 'Subarnarekha' (1962) third film from his trilogy
based on Calcutta and conditions of refugees.
Festival also gave
tribute to our great filmmaker V. Shantaram on his 125th Birth
anniversary. He contributed a lot to our Indian Cinema through his
meaningful, artistic & social films with messages! His one classic
'Do aankhen barah haath' (1957) was screened in it. Anyway I already
watched his entire cinema & wrote on it!
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| Stellan Skarsgard & pretty Renate Reinsve in film 'Sentimental Value' (2025) |
This time also I observed few films much better
in 'Global Cinema section' than in 'World Competition! In these first I
liked Norwegian film 'Sentimental Value' (2025) in which my favourite
beautiful actress Renate Reinsve gracefully portrayed her role! This
focused on how values & principles affect relationships &
creative work. It's about how filmmaker father tries to convince his
actress daughter to act in his film and her previous relationship based
stand on it, which latter change from the meaningful & emotional
conversation with another actress who was approached for that role!
Sensible director Joachim Trier co-wrote this film with Eskil Vogt.
Maria Ekerhovd & Andrea Berentsen Ottmar produced this film nicely
cinematographed by Kasper Tuxen and skillfully edited by Olivier Bugge
Coutte. Polish pianist & singer Hania Rani composed music for it!
Main artists did their roles sensitively in it. These include veteran
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard as filmmaker, Norwegian actresses Inga
Lilleaas with Renate Reinsve as sisters and Elle Fanning as glamorous
American actress! This film won 'Grand Prix' at 'Cannes Film Festival'
and top awards of 'European Film Academy' in which include Best Film,
Screenwriter, Composer, Actor and Best Director Joachim & Best
Actress Renate! And this film received 9 nominations for '98th Oscar'!.jpg) |
War devastation showing Abbas Fahdel's documentary
Lebanese 'Tales of the wounded Land' (2025).
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Another
good film in that section was Czech-Slovakia co-production 'Waves'
(2024). Monika Kristlova produced this historical thriller is written & directed by Jiri Madl. It shows the role of public radio broadcaster
during Prague Spring late 60s period of political liberalization and
conflict between journalists & secret service! For this Production
designer Petr Kunc & Costume designer Katarina Strbova Bielikkova did
good jobs in creating that era. Then cinematographer Martin Ziaran and
editor Filip Malasek worked effectively. All artists include Vojtech
Vodochodsky, Kotek, Tana Pauhofova, Stanislav Majer, Martin Hofmann
& Petr Lnenicka played their roles dynamically! Then there was also a
period drama 'President's Cake' (2025) an Arabic film written &
directed by Hasan Hadi. It shows the life during 1990s Iraq through
school going girl, which sensitively portrayed by pretty Baneen Ahmad
Nayyef!.jpg) |
| Pretty Baneen Nayyef in Arabic film 'President's Cake' (2025) |
Some contemporary pictures were there. In this one was an
Iraqi-French film critic and screenwriter - director Abbas Fahdel made
'Tales of the wounded Land' (2025). It shows the horrible look of war
that devastated South Lebanon, through the journey of lady and her
meetings with families and friends in that region. Fahdel himself
cinematographed & edited this intimate chronicle! Another was
Iranian-American documentary 'Cutting through rocks' made by
Mohammadreza Eyni & Sara Khaki. This follows the first elected
councilwoman in Iranian village and her struggle against patriarchal
traditions while empowering women! Then there was Indian documentary
'Oslo - A tail of promise' (2025) produced by John Abraham and directed
by Isha Pungaliya. It shows sensitive journey of Pooja Bhale and
Siberian husky named Oslo through nature. Shamin Kulkarni beautifully
cinematographed this. This gives message of love for animals and nature!
It was nice meeting to filmmakers & artists of it there!.jpg) |
| Theodore Pellerin in French film 'Nino' (2025). |
In
'World Competition' there was one French sensitive film 'Nino' (2025)
co-written & directed by Pauline Loques. It's a story of introvert
youth who explores streets of Paris to reconnect with the world and
himself, after being diagnosed with cancer. Theodore Pellerin portrayed
this character Nino sensibly! Then there was American neo-western film
'Rebuilding (2025) directed by Max Walker-Silverman. Through the story
of a rancher this explores what happens when those affected by disaster
need to live on and rebuild. Josh O'Connor portrayed that cowboy rancher
and Lily LaTorre played his sensible little daughter in it! After that
there was Romanian mysterious drama film 'Milk Teeth' (2025) written
& directed by Mihai Mincan. This shows the story of 10 years old
girl Maria who witnesses her sister's disappearance during final days of
dictatorship there in 1989. It's partly based on filmmaker's own
childhood experiences! Emma Ioana Mogos played this girl role
sensitively. Romanian-Moldovan actress Marina Palii who did mother's
character in this film, was present in this festival. We had good
conversation about its unresolved story!There was India-Israel
co-produced crime drama 'Murders too close - Love too far' (2025) made
by Assamese noted filmmaker Manju Borah and renowned Israeli filmmaker
Dan Wolman & Amir Gedalia! Its story follows investigation of
horrific gangrape and murder case. It was entirely filmed in Assam on
the dynamic screenplay wrote by Wolman and cinematography done by Partha
Borgohain. Eyal Amir edited the film for which Debajit Gayan did sound
design & Sanket Joshi composed music. Siddharth Nipon Goswami,
Shaminn Mannan, Bhagirathi bai Kadam, Adil Hussain & Seema Biswas
did their roles effectively in it.
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| Ishita Deshmukh & Yogesh Sohani in Marathi film 'Gondhal' (2025) |
There were two regional films
explored the mystries through traditional folk and belief or
superstitions! Gujarati 'Kadaknath' (2026) revolves around family
conflict, a haunting past and a series of mysterious, horrible murders
in their village. Young Kaushik Garasiya wrote and directed this
thriller which cinematographed by Harshit Saini and edited by Vihang A.
R. who is also one of the producer, with Nirav Bhabhor who acted in it
too! Other main artists are Abhinay Banker, Nisarg Trivedi, Chetan Daiya
& pretty Denisha Ghumra!Then there was Marathi film 'Gondhal'
(2025) a drama thriller on the backdrop of religious ritual. Santosh
Davkhar wrote & directed this unique plot with a story of a
suffocating young bride who uses her lover obsession in this ritual
Gondhal, which then turns into a deadly chess match! For this
cinematographer Amalendu Chaudhary did good camera work like one-take
shot and Ashish Mhatre did required editing. And legendary South-Indian
musician Ilaiyaraaja composed music for it! In acting Kishor Kadam, Anuj
Prabhu, Nishad Bhoir, Kailash Waghmare, Yogesh Sohani & Ishita
Deshmukh played their roles effectively!.jpg) |
Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett & Vicky Krieps
in film 'Father, Mother, Sister, Brother' (2025). |
In festival there were two Workshops
of noted filmmakers. In these first was Serbian writer-director Goran
Radovanovic's on 'How European & Independent cinema compete with
big American cinema - lessons for regional cinema!' I already wrote
articles on Serbian Cinema and him with his films like 'Enklava' (2015).
While interacting with him in this, I asked 'What difference do you
observe between earlier Cinema of Yugoslavia i.e. socialist realism and now in contemporary cinema?' On that he replied well with referring to his
social film making! Second workshop was renowned Israeli filmmaker Dan
Wolman's on 'Film Constraint to creativity - Thriving as an Independent
filmmaker! I already wrote articles on him & his cinema. This time,
on the backdrop of current world scenario, I was curious about his
comment on 'how cinema can play a vital role in building a congenial
relationship between two communities'! |
Famous actor of romantic-musicals Biswajit Chatterjee
showing his 'PIFF' Distinguished Award!
(on the right) 'PIFF director Dr. Jabbar Patel. |
Closing film was 'Father,
Mother, Sister, Brother' (2025) written and directed by American
filmmaker-musician Jim Jarmusch. There are three distinct stories
exploring relationships between adult children and their parents, set in
the US, Ireland & France in it! Frederick Elms & Yorick Le Saux
cinematographed this film which edited by Affonso Goncalves. Artists
like Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling & Cate Blanchett
nicely acted in it with Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Mayim Bialik, Indya
Moore, Luka Sabbat & Francoise Lebrun!This time 'PIFF
Distinguished awards for outstanding contribution to Indian cinema' were
given to three veteran artists. In these include Marathi actress Asha
Kale, character actress Farida Jalal & famous actor of
romantic-musicals Biswajit Chatterjee! And 'S.D.Burman international
award for creative music and sound' was given to composer &
arranger Amar Haldipur!
Then 'PIFF' awards were presented to
winners in the competitions. In these, 'Prabhat Best International film
director' was given to Belgian screenwriter-director Laura Wandel for
her social film 'Adam's sake' (2025). And 'Prabhat Best International
film' was given to 'The Elysian field' ( 2025/India) directed by Pradip
Kurbah. This Khasi language film focuses on migration &
companionship! Then for Marathi films, 'Gondhal' won Best
cinematographer & Best director awards. And Sameer Tewari's warm
comedy 'Baapya' (2025) won 'Best International Marathi film'!
At
the end, here are some points to be noted. Opening film should be well
receivable, good films should not be avoided for world competition &
free interaction with filmmakers!
Best wishes to 'PIFF'!!- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti']
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