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Global cinema comes to city

A scene from the Chinese movie ‘Getting Home.’

Get ready for some quality international cinema this weekend. The two-day international film festival, being organised by Viewers’ Circle, will screen some excellent films from across the world.

One of the highlights of the festival, to be held at Urban Bank Auditorium, Kozhikode, on Saturday and Sunday, is ‘Breath’, directed by Kim Ki-duk, one of the finest directors in world cinema of our time.

The Korean director is particularly popular in Kerala, and his films at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) have always attracted big crowds. His offering at the last IFFK, ‘Time’ may not have mesmerised the viewer the way his stunningly beautiful ‘Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring’ or ‘3-Iron’ did, but ‘Breath’ was chosen for the competitive section at the last Cannes festival.

It is going to be the first screening of ‘Breath’ in Kerala, according to the organisers of the festival.

The Korean film, about infidelity, is just one of the many highlights of the two-day festival.

The two films that shared the top prize at the IFFK, ‘XXY’, a moving Argentine film directed by Lucía Puenzo about an intersexed teenager, and `10+4’, the autobiographical film by Mania Akbari, the Iranian director who is fighting breast cancer, are must see. So is ‘Getting Home’, a brilliant Chinese film, directed by Zhang Yang, that won the audience’s prize at IFFK.

This film – about a remarkable journey of middle-aged man to get his old friend’s body home – will make you cry and laugh, often at the same time. It features a superlative performance by Zhao Benshan, who is called ‘Chinese Chaplin’.

‘Bliss’ (Turkey), which tackles a serious issue of Muslim women, was also of one of the most-watched films at the IFFK. The film, directed by Abdullah Oguz, is stunningly shot.

‘Crossing the Dust’ (Iraq), directed by Shawkat Amin Korki, is a movie in the backdrop of Saddam Hussein’s fall. Not to be missed.

‘Antonia’ (Brazil, directed by Tata Amaral), ‘Aleksandra’ (Russia, Alexander Sukurov), ‘Teeth of Love” Zhuang Yuxin (China, Zhuang Yuxin) and `Sounds of Sand’ (Belgium, Marion Hansel) complete the impressive line-up.

Saturday, March 8: ‘XXY’ (2.30 p.m.). ‘Teeth of Love’ (4.15 p.m.). Bliss (6.30 p.m.).

Sunday, March 9: ‘Antonia’ (9 a.m.), `10 + 4’ (10.45 a.m.). ‘Crossing the Dust’ (12.15 p.m.). ‘Sounds of Sand’ (2.30 p.m.). ‘Breath’ (6 p.m.). ‘Getting Home’ (7.45 p.m.).

For more details, contact: 9847267516.

P. K. Ajith Kumar

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