A treat for comic and film fans

Kids can look forward to a fun and informative time with the American Centre organising the screening of eight films based on comic books, this weekend. The three-day ‘Comic Fun to Film Festival’ will include quizzes, comic book making, gaming and much more to excite children. It is slated to be held at the American Centre in association with Cinedarbaar and Motion Picture Association, from May 18 to 20.

The festival will open with Planet Hulk (2010) starring Rick D. Wasserman, Lisa Ann Beley and Mark Hildreth. Hulk, ejected from Earth, crash-lands on a planet ruled by a tyrant who forces him to fight in a colosseum against other powerful creatures. But Hulk befriends the combatants on his team and ultimately wins. You can also look forward to Kick-Ass (2010), where Dave Lizewski, an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan, decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or reason to do so.

On May 19, the day starts with the screening of Iron Man 2  (2010). Tony Stark, because of his superhero alter ego, must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends and new enemies. This is followed by Cowboys & Aliens (2011) wherein a posse of cowboys and natives prevent an alien spaceship in Arizona from taking over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. In the evening, The Smurfs (2011) tumble from their magical world into New York City after the evil wizard Gargamel chases them out of their village.

Look forward to a fun quiz both on comics and the films later in the day. Workshops on How to draw illustrations for Comicswill be organised on May 20 and 21 on how to draw illustrations for comics. Each screening will be followed by quiz rounds for comic lovers. A special workshop for children will be organised titled ‘Your Superhero’ where children will learn about character development in the world of comics through superheroes. Another workshop will focus on how to draw comic characters.

On May 20, the festival begins with Green Lantern (2011) starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard. A test pilot is granted an alien ring that bestows him with other-worldly powers and is tasked with keeping peace within the universe. The next film is Thor (2011), about the powerful but arrogant warrior who is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard. He comes to live on Earth where he soon becomes friends with humans and one of their finest defenders. The best is reserved for the last. The Adventures of Tintin (2011) is scheduled in the evening. Intrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock’s ancestor. Watching their experiences is like being on a trip yourself.

The festival will also have a gaming booth. Play stations will be made accessible to the audience and gaming contests will run on all three days. The festival will also have a do-it-yourself section for kids where they can create their own comic books by filling out a given storyboard with text and colours. A competition to draw their favourite character will also be held.

The best comics book and illustration will win prizes. While the entry to the festival is free, do carry a photo id for security reasons.