As the curtain lifts today (Friday) ringing in the ten-long celebration of cinema at the annual International Film Festival of India-2007 in Goa, the arclight also befittingly falls on Kannada cinema that snatches a share of spotlight at the global gala.
Kannada cinema’s date with IFFI has had a chequered history. Though not prodigious nor prolific, still carving a special niche of its own, at the now five-decade old IFFI, eminent cinematic creations by celebrated auteurs has held State’s film flag fluttering high.
The days are passe when Kannada cinema representation at IFFI meant only a Kasarvalli, a Karnad, a Karanth, a Kanagal, or a Nagabharana et al. Today a brave new crop of auteurs are gloriously striding on the sterling path paved by their illustrious predecessors sharing spotlight on the movie marquee among creme la creme of world cinema.
Thus, the IFFI-2007, too, as in the past, holds special moment of pride and cheer for the State and its disapora with three fine films finding prominent place in the prestigious Indian Panorama Section. Likewise, also saluting stalwarts of Kannada cinema, who trod the path less travelled and have been flagbearers for these broods of aspiring and ambitious youngsters to draw inspiration, under rightly titled — In Retrospect — Navya Movement (or New Wave Movement), three illustrious and illuminative works are being showcased.
While Indian Panorama features latest works in Daatu (Cross Over), Moggina Jade (The Plait of Jasmine Buds) and Kada Beladingalu (Moonlit Forest), the Navya Movement showcases B V Karanth’s legendary and monumental Chomana Dudi (Choma’s Drum), Girish Kasarvalli’s eclectic and path-breaking Ghatashradha and pioneering and superlative Samskara by Pattabhi Rama Reddy. Both Chomana Dudi and Ghatashradha see repeat screenings speaking of iconic status of these films as also their celebrated auteurs.
One other note of much import is that after nearly haitus of four years three Kannada films have been picked up for Panorama. Each of these award-winning works, like classics of their elders, spotlight on societal concerns that stills dogs so-called developed society even today. That these three films have held their own, staving off stiff competition against mighty deluge of Bengali and Malayalam films speaks tall about the topics they deal as also sincerity of purpose behind their committed makers.
If K Shivarudaraiah’s Daatu concerns a woman’s singular fight and liberation against religion, rituals and traditions braving against stiff odds she faces from the community, B S Lingadevaru’s Kada Beladingalu speaks of how globalisation has led to rural hinterlands fast turning into haven for elders with young ones gone to green pastures in pursuit of El Dorado. P R Ramadas Naidu’s Moggina Jade spotlights on plight of senior citizens caught between tradition and modernisation and careless attitude of their children against the backdrop of urbanisation and outsourcing. Incidentally, Lingadevaru’s Mouni and Ramdas Naidu’s Mussanje and Pravaaha were part of earlier IFFIs’ Panorama Section. Here’s toasting Kannada cinema’s creditable show and saluting the passionate practioners who hold a beacon of hope for alternative, good cinema and do us all proud.
