European Union Film Festival to go digital for its silver jubilee edition

The festival will also screen contemporary movies from European countries besides short films on climate change including Nila Madhab Panda's "Megha's Divorce". Festival curator Veronica Flora said the European Union Film Festival in India aims to be a "magic mirror" to jointly get through the "current challenging times we are witnessing." "This year the virtual European Union Film Festival in India will be showcasing the variety and the complexity of the European Union's culture through innovative film programming, opening paths for further people-to-people and cultural relationships with India and the extraordinary wealth of its millennial culture.

European Union Film Festival announced on Wednesday that it is going virtual for its 25th year edition amid the pandemic and is set to begin from November 5. The festival, which celebrates EU-India cultural ties, aims to bring the best of European cinema and classics to Indian audiences. Curated by Veronica Flora, with Valerio Caruso, Director of Cineuropa, the festival will host 41 critically acclaimed films from 26 European countries. As a tribute to Indian cinema, the festival will host a section, 'Poetry on Screen' featuring Satyajit Ray and Chaitanya Tamhane's films. Ray's 1957 classic "Aparajito", second in his celebrated Apu trilogy, will be screened in the segment that will also showcase Tamhane's award-winning debut "Court".

Tamhane will also feature in a special festival side-event with a European counterpart. H.E. Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India, said the festival will take viewers through a journey across Europe "as retold by our storytellers." "Highlighting individual stories yet reflecting universal experiences, this year’s special anniversary edition will offer a window into the heart of Europe and the power of cinema to negotiate both everyday and extraordinary circumstances," Astuto said in a statement.

The festival will also host a series of workshops, masterclasses, artist talks, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions with prominent contemporary film directors, actors, and cinematographers of the European film fraternity. Bifurcated in four sections comprising contemporary European cinema, European masterpieces, shorts on climate change, and tribute to Indian cinema, each will carry a selection of award-winning films and acclaimed performances.

Film lovers have to a chance to enjoy world cinema classics such as Ingmar Bergman's "Persona", Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Three Colors: Blue", Milos Forman's "Loves of a Blonde", Luis Bunuel's "The Exterminating Angel", Agnes Varda's "Cleo from 5 to 7" and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul". The festival will also screen contemporary movies from European countries besides short films on climate change including Nila Madhab Panda's "Megha's Divorce".

Festival curator Veronica Flora said the European Union Film Festival in India aims to be a "magic mirror" to jointly get through the "current challenging times we are witnessing." "This year the virtual European Union Film Festival in India will be showcasing the variety and the complexity of the European Union's culture through innovative film programming, opening paths for further people-to-people and cultural relationships with India and the extraordinary wealth of its millennial culture. "We hope this virtual Festival will contribute to make the film sector a key driver for dialogue, especially in the current situation where culture and creativity have become more important than ever," Flora said. The festival is a joint event hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to India, its Member States and Partner Countries.

The virtual festival will be available to stream on Festival Scope from November 5.

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