Michael Haneke’s Amour, the Palme D’Or winner at the Cannes festival, attracted a humongous crowd at the Jamshed Bhabha theatre at the NCPA complex on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier its screening had been cancelled. Gratifyingly, it was rescheduled. The film dealing with the situation of a couple dealing with advanced old age and illness, was deeply moving — enhanced by life-like portrayals by French cinema’s stalwart actors Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. Its no-show would have certainly reduced the value of the 14th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival, organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI).
Cancellations and rescheduling have been unavoidable; it seems, because of the late arrival of prints — some of them without subtitles and others in formats which haven’t been compatible with the projection systems here. For instance, all the screenings of classic Italian films were suspended at the Liberty cinema for a day. Alain Resnais’s You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, another top attraction of the fest, was also cancelled. Word is awaited on its status.
Because of the sheer Kafkaesque situation at the INOX multiplex screenings, I’ve just given up on them. For several screenings, I was told that there isn’t a ticket to spare. Those who did manage to get in shrugged that dozens of seats went empty. Apparently, tickets for every show have to be issued for security reasons. But at the Jamshed Bhabha, the conventional practice of first-come-first-served is followed. So why even venture towards the INOX where getting inside is half the fun. Or a nightmare? My loss.
In the section showing new Indian cinema, quite a few independent films have been kept out. Ballad of Rustam, Patang and B A Pass, excellent indie efforts, were nixed because they had been shown at the Osians event in New Delhi. By the MAMI rule book, it may make sense to only insist on the premiere of Indian films. Conversely, there’s no stricture against Indian films which have been already screened at foreign film festivals, be it at Toronto or South Korea’s Busan. Indie films, it goes without saying, could do with as many festival-ops at home. But then who’s to argue?
Of new Indian cinema at the fest, Hansal Mehta’s Shahid — a recreation of the killing of the activist lawyer Shahid Azmi — is an example of frank and fearless filmmaking. Pune Film Institute-trained Raj Kumar Yadav’s performance in the eponymous role is a stunner. When the finds a general release in either January or February next year, look out for it. It’s unmissable.