This one week of cinematic extravaganca is a highpoint in the life of any keralite who is 100% literate when it comes to cinema from the corners of the world. It is into its 13 th year now. The glory and glitz associated with IFFK are many, but is it losing its lustre.
A chat with Mr. P.K.Renjith, film critic, writer, teacher, film lover and above all a regular face at IFFK made me reconsider many things. I caught up with him in the groups that frequent the theatre premises. . .
Here are a few snippets of the interview...
Sir, you have been coming for IFFK for many years. Can you tell me how it has evolved?
P. K. Renjith: the thing that strikes me most will be the growth in the number of delegates especially in the past three years. Since it has been opened to the public . . . the rush is great and it becomes difficult for the organisers to control the flow some times. Ours is the most popular festival in terms of the selection of films and the number of delegates.
Has this increase in the number affected the festival?
PKR: yes... it has. To wait around one hour inside a theatre for watching a cinema really spoils the mood of the festival. For us, there is more to the festival than films. Its the time to meet and renew our friendships, meet new faces, interact... like this ... we get to know the young generation too ... that I think has been affected. And the crowd and the rush are indeed bad for people like us who has been here for years. For the young there is some thrill in rushing from theatres to theatres.... but for us it is the life around that matters...
Has this affected the number of foreign delegates coming to the festival?
PKR: Ithink it has... I do not have any statistical information on it... but the crowd, the aggressive queues, mad rush for seats might come as a shock to them. Their cultures do not have such an atmosphere and they might not take it that well... I do feel that their presence is highly likely to decrease...unless efforts are taken by the organisers to control the situation. Even the women here find it difficult to see films now. How can they get past the aggressive crowd. Something has to be done.
What do you think can be done? Is the new provision to reserve good?
PKR: Yes reservation is a good idea... but being the first time it has some problems.. It has to be finetuned... I think reservation should be opened to all the seats, not only balconies. Like in Goa, at the IFFI, everything is done online. There is no rush. In this rush here anybody can get in and easily plant a bomb, the checking is also just a routine thing... the organisers have to make this more systematic.
do you think that the entry should be closed to the public?
PKR: no I am not against it completely... I think people should see films... but the problem is when they see festival in terms of the money they pay... there is a certain kind of arrogance in the way they conduct themselves, in their attitudes, that since they have paid they have the right to their money. It has affected the whole etiquette connected with the festival. Hooting while the film is screened, applauding when the credits are shown when a familiar name comes in..in the way they conduct themselves in the hall... in the past years we just left or sat through the film if we did not like it. It was a kind of meditation for us. But now ... we do not feel like coming...
so should there be a restriction in the way delegates are chosen?
PKR: In the past years before the option of entry fees was introduced... the festival was for an exclusive section who were really interested in cinema... the members of film society, writers, critics, journalists, members from the industry.... now there are people who do not love film who come in . i think there should be a restraint in the way passes are given. . . maybe to students... people who are connected with film and love it. Best example would be IFFI, goa, where everything is done online. Unless you sent in the proper papers showing who you are and how you are related to cinema you are not given entry... I think some such measure has to be taken... if IFFK has to be there in its glory.
What about a code of conduct?
PKR: it is not possible to insist on a kind of behaviour. Organisers do have their limitations. There should be a certain restraint from the part of the delegates. It is difficult to bring in a code of conduct. It should not be done that way. It has to come from within.
What do you think about the young crowd who are seen loitering around?
PKR: I think they also should be here... but they find joy in the rush, in running around, seeing more films... it is a good way to interact... like this , we talk and we get to know about the talents coming up, their interests. . .
Any memorable experience?
PKR: I have many when the festival is concerned. If I were to choose I would say that the experience I had while moderating an open forum some years back.
any favourites this year?
PKR: This year the selection is not that interesting. But i did find the film on Maradona interesting.
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