Revisiting US through American films

Tourism day celebration

On the occasion of World Tourism Day recently, Delhiites got to tour America sitting right here in the Capital. The American Center, in association with Motion Picture Distribution Association and Cine Darbaar, held ‘City Symphonies-USA’ - a film festival showcasing many important cities of the country like New York, Kansas, Missouri, Boston etc.. The festival also included a tourism fair, inter-active sessions, quizzes, workshops and music from each of the cities which visitors greatly enjoyed.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation celebrated the first World Tourism Day on September 27, 1980 to raise awareness on the role of tourism in promoting social, cultural, political and economic understanding between countries.

With a somewhat similar aim in mind, American Centre held the three-day long festival. Its collaborator, Cine Darbaar’s artistic director, Supriya Suri, comments, “In this age of globalisation, people want to explore foreign countries, know their history, culture and beautiful landmarks. However, due to financial and time constraints, it is not possible for many.”

“Cinema, though, provides a wonderful medium through which people can tour the whole world without actually moving from their place. Therefore, we decided to showcase some classic US films that give the flavour of America’s greatest cities.”

The first day, September 27, opened with a treat for kids - Walt Disney’s The Avengers (2012) on a team of super humans saving the earth from an evil force. The second day saw the screening of The Odd Couple (1968) - two divorced men who decide to live together despite their differences in New York. Paper Moon (1973) on a conman father and daughter in Kansas and Missouri during the Great Depression, and Stranger than paradise (1984) - a road film, were screened the same day.

The third and last day opened with Junebug (2005) - a newlywed woman meeting her in-laws and discovering North Carolina for the first time. Gone Baby Gone (2007) – where investigators hunt for an abducted four-year-old girl in Boston, was screened thereafter; and Sunset Boulevard. (1950) on a failed screenwriter and a faded movie star trying to revive their careers in Los Angeles, closed it.

Cine Darbaar, a Delhi based film society, also lead a discussion on Film Noir and a workshop on city representation and cinematic techniques. Visitors also enjoyed an interactive map of the USA combining cartography, cinema and information on the films, trivia and insights on how films influenced the image of America’s cities.

Shivangi Sharma, a college student who attended the festival commented, “I love the fact that they are showing some very good old movies which we don't get to see easily these days. I hope they hold such fests more often.”