GEETIKA SUDIP lists the must-dos to be done to be counted as a true blue IFFKer
You know all about reading up well in advance about the films being screened, making careful choices about reserving your seats and finding city-centre accommodation during the festival. Here are some lesser-known must-dos that must be done if you are to cement your reputation as a real IFFKer:
Watch five films a day
To stake a claim of being a hard-core IFFKer, you need to have watched the maximum number of screenings possible per day. This involves rushing from theatre to theatre at breakneck speed, or staying in your seat between shows (at the risk of being thrown out). The ultimate must-do is to watch five films every day of the festival: and yes, there are people who’ve been there and done that.
Attend an open forum
Most cinephiles would agree that discussing films is as important as watching them. No better place to do that than the Open Forums held during the IFFK. Thought-provoking discussion on cinema is a given. If you’re lucky, you’ll also witness some fracas courtesy local filmmakers, usually due to non-inclusion of their films in the Competition Section.
Sit on The Steps
Sit on the steps of Kairali-Sree complex | Photo Credit: S. Mahinsha
All IFFKers know that the epicentre of activity is the Kairali/Sree complex. The steps in front of theatre are hallowed ground, quite on par with the Odessa steps. It’s compulsory to take time off and just sit there. Chat with those around, witness an occasional celebrity and if your time is right, your mug might appear in a newspaper or TV channel the next day. Even if none of that happens, you’ll find a peculiar sense of festival-peace descending upon you.
Hang out at Ariya Nivas
Bang opposite the Kairali/Sree complex is this vegetarian joint. Don’t be perplexed if you find even die-hard carnivores making a beeline to this place. During the festival, this is the watering-hole of choice for international filmmakers who want to taste local cuisine and for desi filmmakers who’ve turned veggie for a cause. Imagine telling your grandkids that you shared a dosa with Kim ki-Duk!
Make friends with an aspiring filmmaker or two
While ‘delegate’ is the term ascribed to those who’ve registered to watch films at the festival, ‘wannabe filmmaker’ is the single largest unlisted category of people at the IFFK. They can be found everywhere: in the screening halls, out in the corridors, at the canteen, behind surreptitious puffs of smoke. You might end up befriending Indian cinema’s Next Big Name. Or you might end up finding an aspiring filmmaker within yourself. Either way, win-win!
Sign the unspoken non-disclosure agreement
We’re all in it together: A folk song session in progress at Kairali Theatre as part of IFFK. | Photo Credit: S. Mahinsha
People flock from all over Kerala and beyond to attend the IFFK every year. All sorts of excuses are made at the workplace (and at home) to land up for a week in Thiruvananthapuram during December. While you’re hopping theatres, you might catch a peek of a colleague who is supposedly on sick leave. Or better yet, you might sight your boss who is reportedly attending his sister’s marriage. Golden rule: do not squeal on them. It’s a code of honour among the IFFKers: we’re all in it together.
Participate in a protest
A flash mob by the Kiss of Revolution at Kairali Theatre. | Photo Credit: S. Mahinsha
IFFK provides the perfect stage for political protests of all shapes and sizes. Notable ones over the years included a group carrying the ‘corpse’ of democracy into the venue and, of course, the famous Kiss of Love protest. There are bound to a few this year, given the current national and international scenario. Just ensure you’re at the right place at the right time with plenty of vocal power.
Catch a ‘regular’ film
Watch a commercial flick, say ‘Pulimurugan’ | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Towards the end of the festival, you might be struck by a bout of festival-sickness. This phenomenon is caused by a relentless overdose of art-cinema. If you find yourself craving a regular commercial movie, with inane jokes and a few action sequences,fear not! This is a perfectly normal reaction to a loaded IFFK week. Technically speaking there is no harm in sneaking off to watch, say, Pulimurugan, but this must be carried out in utmost secrecy to safeguard your IFFKer reputation.
Buy gifts from Chala Bazaar and/or MG Road
Buy gifts from Chala Bazaar | Photo Credit: S. Mahinsha
As terrible as it sounds, life does go on after the festival. That’s when you remember the spouse/child you left at home a week ago and forgot all about. A peace-offering is highly recommended to ensure domestic harmony. Our recommendation: stuff from Chala Bazaar or from MG Road, with plenty of mollifying words. Good luck!
A few more must-dos
The “official” canteen that is usually on the premises of the Kairali-Sree-Nila theatre complex is a good place to fuel up on food, get the best review of the films that have been screened, and collect snippets of juicy gossip about the fete, its organisers and participants. It is also the best place to catch up with friends who are as much a part of the festival as films.
The festival bag, book and badge should be on your person all day if you plan to make an impression as a serious film buff.
What, you have not taken a selfie on the steps of Kairal- Sri…? Then you are not a true blue delegate of the IFFK. A selfie with or without your gang of friends, all wearing the I-cards of the fete, is a souvenir to carry home.
[Source:-The Hindu]
