Panelist’s Dr Jacqueline Roussety and Nidhi Saxena and moderator Sindhu Srinivasa Murthy, Kannada Director at the discussion on women directors at BIFFes.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: As the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) steps into its fifth day, more and more people continue to pour in from different parts of the state, the country, and even the world.
While the BIFFes organisers have been lauded for their diverse, multilingual film selections, the government has faced criticism for not taking a stand on the screening of Palestinian films, even as audience turnout continues to rise.
Speaking to DH, Nina Nayak, a senior citizen and movie buff, said, “We are getting to watch movies from across the world on big screens. The movies are a wonderful selection as they have great stories, cinematography, acting, and music.”
Rajan Suresh, who travelled from Kerala for the festival, said, “I come every year for the festival. Along with interesting movies, engaging expert sessions are also held. I also loved the open theatre screening introduced this year. Though I don’t understand much Kannada, I’m going to the open theatre just for the experience. So far, the movies there have turned out to be good ones.”
Estafania Ramirez, who is visiting Bengaluru for the film festival, said, “I love the curation of movies. There are a few Spanish movies as well. I was introduced to the festival by an Indian friend. I am here for the entire duration, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the festival. I look forward to coming back next year, too.”
However, there was visible disappointment among attendees regarding the cancellation of Palestinian movie screenings.
Anisha Athreya, a movie buff, said, “I wish Palestinian movies were screened like those from other countries. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should have stood up for Palestine, because this feels like the government is controlling what we should watch, and that is not democracy.”
“It does not feel right that one country is being ostracised because of the geopolitical situation. No matter what, people need to watch what someone is doing, and that is what movies are. If we start doing this, we might eventually have no movies left to watch,” said Rhea Joseph, a movie enthusiast from Kerala.
Rashmi Kaur, a movie curator for a leading streaming platform, said, “It is not that we specifically demanded Palestinian movies, but to exclude them does not feel right. Film festivals are places where we see the essence of cinema, and the audience should be given the right to make a choice.”