Jude Anthany Joseph urged film students not to let discouragement wear them down but to turn it into fuel to push forward, as he opened the second MACTA-Rajagiri International Film Festival at Rajagiri College of Management and Applied Sciences in Kochi. The festival runs through October 15.
The director said no one can take away a person's passion or the knowledge they earn on their own. He called film festivals a rare chance to watch work by directors with very different ways of seeing, and said he still considers himself a student of cinema, reports said.
Rajagiri College director Rev. Fr. Ajeesh Puthussery CMI presided. MACTA chairman Joshy Mathew, general secretary Sreekumar Arookutty, principal Dr. Lali Mathew and festival convener Renju A. C. also attended.
John Paul remembered
The opening doubled as a memorial for the late screenwriter John Paul. His daughter, Jisha John, handed a collection of his books to MACTA and Rajagiri College, and director Madhupal received it. Madhupal said John Paul was one of the reasons cinema became part of his life, and that films such as Chamaram keep him present among Malayalam audiences.
Rima Kallingal and Sajin Baabu at the open forum
After a screening of Theatre: The Myth of Reality, director Sajin Baabu and Rima Kallingal spoke to students at an open forum. Sajin Baabu praised Rima for shooting a key scene that has her climbing a coconut tree despite minimal safety support. He said the film has been screened in several countries, including Russia, and has won a number of awards.
Rima said the story follows a mother and daughter who live alone on an isolated island. She learnt to climb coconut trees with ease from Ashokan, a local who came to the location every morning, and she worked to keep her character's body language natural.
On the festival slate
Theatre: The Myth of Reality, Aadi Snehathinte Virunnumesha and Bhoothalam screened on day one. The films are shown at two venues named after actors Sreenivasan and Salim Kumar. Day two lists Nizhalaazham, Chavu Kalyanam, Ananthathayilekku, Sheshippukal, Khidki Gaav and Kolahalam.
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