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A rendezvous with quality cinema

Mandira Nayar

NEW DELHI: The great World Cup football show now under way in Germany will be over by the time Osian's Cinefan brings its package of films here from July 14 and the victorious team will still be enjoying their moment in the bright lights of cameras. But the closing film at the festival, "Offside'', on July 23 will bring to India some of the most ardent fans of the Iranian football team -- women.

Football is a vice that women out there are not allowed to have; they are barred from watching the matches in the stadium. They can enjoy the action live only by listening to the cheers that come from the stadium while they wait outside. Capturing their enthusiasm for the game and the lengths to which they would go to see a match, the movie was released in Britain on the first day of the World Cup and has been banned in Iran.

The festival, in its eighth year now, has many more films like "Offside'' that give viewers a chance to explore new worlds they may not have been exposed to through cinema. Apart from interesting films, the festival this year has other new attractions.

Celebrating the past, the festival will pay tribute to one of India's biggest names in cinema -- Ritwik Ghatak -- with a retrospective and four films under the banner of "New Theatres'' to mark their 75th year in business.

"We are confident that people will be able to walk into any film at the festival and it will give them a lot of pleasure,'' said Osian Cinefan director Aruna Vasudev at a press conference here on Wednesday.

There will be a special section of films on Buddhism to mark the 2550th birth anniversary of the Buddha. Titled "The Middle Path'', it will focus on Buddhism.

"We will show `The Light of Asia' and `Siddhartha', a film by Conrad Rooks which caused quite a sensation when it was made. The number of films we are showing this year are the same, but we expect to bring in many more people,'' said Ms. Vasudev.

A festival that has grown in size and reputation, Osian's Cinefan this year will be making a switch from being a free festival to one with a fee. A nominal price to watch films at Delhi's only festival, the tickets will be priced at Rs. 20.

"There was a debate whether we should charge or not. But it was thought that people would appreciate it more if they pay for it. Last time there was a stampede and tickets would help control crowds. Public participation is needed to build up infrastructure. All this money will be donated to the National Culture Fund,'' said Osian Chairman Neville Tuli.

The festival is being held at Siri Fort once again. The complex will be turned into a virtual museum for all cinema-lovers with big posters being put up. Streamlining the whole process, this time round there will be a counter to keep cell phones to avoid the chaos that occurred last year.

Tickets will be available at the Cinefan office in Golf Links from the first week of July.

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