The 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2013) began with a star-studded inaugural function in Panaji, Goa, today. Waheeda Rehman, recipient of the first Centenary Award for the Indian Film Personality, looked elegant in resplendent white as she lit the inaugural lamp in the august company of Academy award-winning Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, actor Kamal Hassan and other dignitaries.
The Lifetime Achievement Award this year has been given to one of the best known representatives of the ‘New Wave Czech Cinema’, Jiri Menzel. Menzel has made his mark on the cultural history of his native Czech Republic as a film auteur, theatre director and actor. His films are cherished for their lyrical realism and stylistic boldness. The genteel humanism and comic tone of his work has earned him love and acclaim of film aficionados across the globe.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Information & Broadcasting, Manish Tewari, Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar, the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Bimal Julka, actor Kamal Hassan and Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon are the dignitaries present on stage.
The renowned Iranian film maker Majid Majidi will open the ‘Soul of Asia’ segment tomorrow at the 44th IFFI in Goa. Introduced last year as a special segment, ‘Soul of Asia: Cinema of Mysticism’ will celebrate spirituality, so much integral to the way of living in this part of the globe, in the same vein this year.
The segment will open with the screening of The Patience Stone by the much acclaimed Afghan-French author, Atiq Rahimi. The movie, in a war-torn Afghanistan, sears into the recesses of a woman’s soul searching life beyond existence.
The other films in the section include Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s The Gardener, Pan Nalin’s Faith Connections and Vincent Sandoval’s Apparation.
Indian Master of Masters: Osho brings into focus the mystic’s contemporary creative interpretations and insights into the wisdom of world masters.
