April 4, 2014

34 Films To Be Screened At Shimla Film Festival - 2014


Vijyender Sharma

Shimla, --Given the immense response received for Shimla Film Festival 2014, it has proved a daunting task for finalizing the films that are to be screened over two days of the event on April 12 and April 13.

The festival jury comprising of filmmaker Vivek Mohan, journalist Rakesh Lohumi and photographer Sanjay Austa, after much viewing and consideration, have finalized a list of 34 films, documentaries, music video’s and spots that would be screened at the festival.

The films to be screened are an interesting mix of films by Himachal Filmmakers, Indian Filmmakers and a miniscule lot by International Filmmakers.

Aas – every life has value, a short film in the open category, shows how two kids, later joined by two love birds, get together to save a sacrificial goat.

Waapsi, a short film from the open category is about a Punjabi migrant returning from down under Australia to seek a future in his native place.

Dile Ch Vasya Koi, an award winning Dogri film by a Himachal Filmmaker is set in Dharamshala – where love alone triumphs.

"BUT, WHO KILLED MY CHILDHOOD?" an open category documentary, set in Birsha Munda Jail, Ranchi, is a touching tale of a child growing with her falsely accused under trial mother.

Budhha Pahad Ka is a beautifully enacted Kullavi comedy by a Himachal Filmmaker with lovely lyrics and pleasing melody.

So Heddan, So Hoddan (Like here, like there) an open category documentary, is a journey with a pastoral community set in Cachcch, Gujarat.

The Bench, a short film by a Himachal Filmmaker is about a loser arousing hope in another loser to a win-win situation.

Where Ekal Nari by a Himachal Filmmaker is about women empowerment, Run of the Rivers, also a documentary but by an open category filmmaker, is about the conflict of environment versus development in Himachal Pradesh.

Aakhiri Munadi, a short film by an open category filmmaker, depicts how the retirement day turns out to be the most memorable and professionally rewarding one.

The Bread, a film by an international filmmaker entered in the open category shows how a small town grocer beats supermarket influences with smart business acumen.

Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Dosto, a music video by a Himachal filmmaker captures the beauty of a desolate Spiti landscape.  

Of the 34 films to be screened at the festival 18 are by Himachal Filmmakers and 16 by Open Filmmaker category.

In the Himachal Category of the films to be screened include 3 feature films, 3 short films, 6 documentaries, 4 music videos and two advertisement spots.

The Open Category of films for screening include 8 short films, 5 documentaries, one music video and two public awareness spot films. Earlier we had announced that in the open category, no spot films had been entered for the festival but the jury took the view that two films which were slightly longer than the 1 minute duration length for the category, were treated as spot films.

The festival also aroused some international interest and there were three films by international filmmakers submitted for the festival. One of them is to be screened at the festival.

One Indian filmmaker living in USA also submitted a film for the festival which is being screened at the festival.

One amateur Himachal Filmmaker living in USA submitted two music video’s of which one is to be screened at the festival.

Of the 94 films entered for the festival, we finally received 85 films. All the films were seen by the jury, before they were shortlisted for screening and to pick out the award winners.

The award ceremony function, to be presided over by Governor Urmila Singh, would be held on 13th April at YMCA, where the award winning films would be announced.

Shimla Film Festival – 2014 is a Himachal Media Pvt Ltd initiative for promoting the craft of filmmaking by connecting the local with the global and the global with the local.

 

 

Pics: Festival Jury members Sanjay Austa, Vivek Mohan and Rakesh Lohumi during their daunting schedule of viewing, reviewing and selecting films for screening and picking out the award the winners of Shimla Film Festival - 2014.

 

 

No comments: