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WARNING: INCOHESIVE RANT ALERT

For PFC newbies, let me enlighten you about a revolutionary indicator formulated by your’s truly and my buddy Oz. It’s called the Kingfisher Litmus Test and is perhaps one of the most reliable indicators of good cinema versus bad cinema. No critiques here, and sure as hell no intellectual readings into the filmmaker’s mind. This revolutionary indicator (Thank you Mr. Mallya) simply helps us place a movie into one of two categories - good or bakwaas.

The process is simple. Go to a place you are comfortable in. For Oz and myself, that place has been the ever so reliable Ambala Dhaba in Artesia, California. We got there this evening (well, technically last evening) at around 6.45 pm and began downing large bottles of Kingfisher. The ever-so-reliable Sardarji in the kitchen kept sending out the plates of Ludhiana chicken, which is worth dying for, but more on that …

The second Rome Film Fest, which runs Oct 18-27, has announced its full programme.

World premieres in the Cinema 2007 programme include:

* La Recta Provincia (Raul Ruiz)
* Youth Without Youth (Francis Ford Coppola)
* August Rush (Kirsten Sheridan)
* Hafez (Abolfazl Jalili)
* L’Abbuffata (Mimmo Calopresti)
* And The Spring Comes (Chang Wei Gu)
* The Three Robbers (Hayo Freitag)
* The Private Man (Emidio Greco)
* Let’s Say (Francoise Maire)
* Have Dreams, Will Travel, (Brad Isaacs)

The festival also announced that Oscar-winning No Man’s Land director Danis Tanovic from Bosnia will serve as head of the jury, which is comprised of 50 international cinema-goers.

FULL LINE-UP

Premiere section
Across The Universe by Julie Taymor (UK/US)
The Dukes by Robert Davi (US)
Elizabeth: The …

IFFLA 2008 Announces Call for Entries
The Sixth Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) seeks narrative, documentary, music videos, experimental, children’s and animated films of any length and format. IFFLA will run April 22-27, 2008 at ArcLight Hollywood, a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Los Angeles. Jury and Audience Choice Prizes will be awarded for Best Feature, Documentary and Short Film.
IFFLA 2007 had over 6,000 attendees and screened 36 films from 8 countries. In addition to the high-quality of presentation of their work, filmmakers in attendance gained access to an eclectic mix of professionals from the Los Angeles film industry.

Check out what our past filmmakers …

There is a special place for villains in Indian cinema. Especially in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s before the Hum Apke Hain Kaun phenomenon, our writers created iconic bad guys. Amitabh Bachchan would have never succeeded as the Angry Young Man if he didn’t have equally dynamic enemies to defeat. Personally, I always found villains to be way more interesting and perhaps more real than the shudh, sacha heroes. So I figured, ok why not list my favorite 25 negative performances in Indian cinema. I’m not claiming that this is a definitive list, because it’s MY list, and I obviously have not see every single Indian film out there. Here goes:

25. PINKY - Paresh Rawal, “Daud” (1997)
RGV has (had) a twisted sense of humor. Either you get it, or you don’t. That’s probably why “Daud” bombed at the box office. But among a select bunch …

I enjoy slow movies on lazy Sunday afternoons. It’s that time of the weekend when the partying or other tiring activities of Friday evening and Saturday have just left you craving for some quiet, slow time. You wake up late, shower, eat a full lunch, and stretch out on the couch around 2:30 pm, and turn on the TV, and turn the volume down to a calm level. Next Sunday, when you find yourself like that on your couch, try popping in a Japanese film called “The Taste of Tea” - A charming, strange, funny, slow, and long film that completely soaks you in its outlandish, yet simplistically real characters.

Perhaps it was a nostalgic experience for me, as I recounted my life in Japan through my teenage years, but even for a person completely alien to that culture, “The Taste of Tea” would quite convenienty be an enchanting gateway into …

Through my brief journey over the past 7 years from a film student to a struggling assistant to an editing instructor to an advertising professional, I have had the fortune (misfortune in some cases) of having worked with a wide variety of filmmakers. Award winners, first-timers, born geniuses, born duffers, struggling actors directing to solely showcase their faces, students, film scholars with Phds, Union professionals…you name it, I’ve seen a good chunk of em. For almost 90% of these people, I worked for free. Why free? To get experience and supplement my knowledge acquired from film school. Sitting in a classroom is all great and well, but it is only through being involved in the creation of more movies will you really and truly learn more about the craft. The key word here is INVOLVED!

Let me clarify that this list is by no means an effort to sound cocky or …

I am a Rajinikanth fan. My buddy Krishna and I purchased $21 tickets to watch the first day, first show of Sivaji in Los Angeles. We made a solid 30 mile drive to West Hills from Venice Beach, and as we planned, got there a good hour early so we could stand ahead in line and hog the best seats in the house. As we parked and walked towards the Laemmle multiplex, we saw that there was no queue. I must admit we were a little surprised. We handed our tickets to the usher and walked into the theatre, we got another shock. It was almost full!

The Rajini fans - students, computer engineers, doctors, children, uncles, aunties, grandparents, even the priests and cook from the Malibu Venkateshwara temple had already got there in hoards way before us. Celebrations were already taking place. Party horns and bugles were being blown by …

Iranian filmmakers for long have thrived on their unmatched ability to reflect upon their times through the eyes of their children. Majidi is perhaps the finest examples of exploring the issue through the viewpoint of the children who live it, because they are perhaps the only ones who see the world for what it is. They don’t judge, they observe. They see it, and tell it like it is. In the same vein, “Turtles Can Fly” matches if not betters the precedent set by Iranian masters.

Set in the Iraqi-Turkish border, Bahman Ghobadi showcases the lives of Kurdish refugees during the days leading up to the US invasion and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power. A young boy known across all the surrounding villages as Satellite (because of his ability to install satellite dishes), holds himself responsible for the well-being of all the orphaned children in the …

Orwell’s prediction of the horrors of 1984 would seem mellow compared to what humanity really saw. In Delhi at least, thousands were massacred, families destroyed forever, the scum of humanity exposed, as justice still remains to be served. It’s a disgusting piece of our history that our government, which still employs many of those directly responsible, chooses to conveniently bury. In that context, it is of utmost importance for us Indian’s to look at ourselves through our own personal stories, to re-live the horror we allowed into our society, and hopefully prevent that from happening in the future. “Amu” tells one such personal story.

Kaju (Konkona Sensharma) arrives in India, appearing to be the stereotypical Indian-American in search of her roots, doing the rounds of the exotic side of the country with her camcorder. Adopted at the age of three and raised in Los Angeles by her foster …

The countdown begins. 14 days to go till Rajinikanth strikes back with Sivaji - The Boss. What on earth is it that makes him so popular? I remember when I lived in Kobe, Japan. It had been a couple of years since Muthu had released in India. I opened the Japan Times one Sunday morning on the breakfast table, and as I flipped the pages, I froze seeing huge picture of Rajinikanth dancing to “Thillana” in the midst of a full page movie review of Muthu. As the story goes, a Japanese film critic stepped into an Indian movie store on a trip to Singapore. The owner supposedly gave him a bunch of tapes that he recommended. Critic returns home, ends up watching Muthu, falls in love with the movie, and writes a review recommending that everyone watch Muthu “atleast three times”. In a matter of a couple of months, …

Good films always flop. No I don’t really believe that. But every now and then, when the trades trash a really likeable film and declare it a flop, frustration gives way to the pessimistic feeling that in India, good films won’t make money. Today the audience has diversified and so have distribution and exhibition platforms, so each film and producer has his/her own way of making money. In the past however, theatrical revenue was the primary way to recover investments. In that environment, some wonderful, mainstream films were made in India, and consequently written off as flops. Some started off low-key, and some were hyped beyond belief. Here, I’d like to look back at some of my personal favorites along the years, some that have achieved cult status among Indian movie fans. My exposure to regional Indian cinema is limited, so this by no means is a definitive list. Just …

“Will this survive the Kingfisher litmus test?” asked Oz as we inebriated ourselves while hogging on some butter chicken at Ambala Dhaba. I was hesitant to respond because Vijay Mallya’s concoction has a tendency to strip your tolerance levels considerably. The last film we saw under the influence (Nishabd) had us running to save our tender brains from deterioration within 30 minutes. Fortunately, and finally, this time the hops have met their match!

Mallya ain’t got nothin’ on Anurag…Anurag Basu that is! “Anurag who?” you say? The Anurag previously known for xeroxing firang flicks for the ever so original Bhatts (Murder, Saaya). The Anurag who hinted at his ability to pack a punch with Gangster. If only he hadn’t succumbed to the producer’s safety net! But beware, for this time, there are no ifs, and no Bhatts, as the writer/director nails the bull’s eye with a film that is refreshingly …

Bhidu (Buddy): Thank god it’s over! I had such high expectations from this film.

Apun (Me): Eh dimaag ka dahi mat kar. Subhe ka teen bajela hain. (Don’t make brain into yogurt. It is 3 in mornings)

Bhidu: It just went on and on.

Apun: More fillum. More timepass.

Bhidu: But I wasn’t feeling the punch.

Apun: Bak bak mat kar nahi tho Spiderman 4D mein parde ke baahar aake kaan ke neeche bajaayenga. Phir punch ka feeling aayenga tereko. (Dont talking too much. Spiderman coming in 4D out of screen and punchings. Then you feelings)

Bhidu: But they went on and on with the love story!

Apun: It is masala yaar. Like Hindi fillum. Love, emotion, jealousy, badla, and action! There has to be good mixings, otherwise no fun.

Bhidu: Well, I guess the action was quite cool.

Apun: Arre it was deadly yaar! Maar dhaad between moving trains with the Sandman, end climax fight in Venom ka …

For those of you who attended the screening of Pan Nalin’s Valley Of Flowers, we apologize for the cancellation which took place due to an unforseen projector malfunction. Please note that the screening has been rescheduled now, in the same large theater #10 (no glitches this time!) as follows:

Saturday, April 21 - 3:30 p.m.

Please make sure you bring your ticket stub from last night. You do not have to buy a new ticket. They will let you in with the same one. Most of the attendees who caught a sneak peak at the opening were quite awed by the visuals. It is a terrific, visually mesmerizing effort by one of India’s most successful directors of crossover cinema. We look forward to having you all back there. Please help spread the word!

Saturday, April 21 - 3:30 p.m. …

In our tribute to Deepti Naval, the screening of Mirch Masala on Saturday, April 21 @ 8:00 pm has been REPLACED by the stunning Main Zinda Hoon directed by Sudhir Mishra. This is a rare film that is not available on DVD, VHS, or VCD, and NFDC has been kind enough to strike a brand new subtitled print for us, specially for the tribute. Don’t miss one of Sudhir Mishra’s finest films and Deepti Naval’s best performances as this may be your only chance to watch the film on 35mm in Los Angeles. Book your tickets now at http://www.arclightcinemas.com. For more information on the full program, please visit http://indianfilmfestival.org.

IFFLA Live Webcast & Filmmaker Interviews

IFFLA is going live on the web this year. For those unable to join us here in Los Angeles, you too can be a part of the festival by checking out …

Amidst all the wonderful discussions about indie movies, we haven’t quite had the opportunity to talk about what is in my opinion, one of the best indie films this year - The Pool. If the credits were deleted, one would never in the wildest of their imagination believe that this is an American movie. Independent documentary filmmaker Chris Smith, famous for the award-winning doc American Movie, makes his narrative feature-film debut with an unusual piece of work that is simple, yet captivating and heartwarming.

The Pool is a Hindi-language film set entirely in Goa that tells the story of Venkatesh Chavan, a bell-boy at a modest Panjim hotel. On his way to work every morning, Venkatesh takes time out to stare over the wall of a large uninhabited house at its swimming pool. Urged by his best friend Jehangir, Venkatesh finally decides one day to take …

When a movie doesn’t sell, my local desi DVD retailer places it on the FOR SALE shelf letting it go often for as low as $4. That’s often where I do most of my Indian DVD shopping, because ironically enough, that’s where one tends to find some of the most important films. I had never heard of Arohan (The Ascent), because for some odd reason, it is one of Shyambabu’s lesser known films, or at least, most criminally ignored. After collecting dust on my shelf for over 5 months, it finally made its way into my DVD player last evening.

Set amidst the furious socio-political revolution in West Bengal between 1960 and 1970, Arohan, though a fictional account, attempts to document a part of Indian history through a painful story of an innocent farmer who falls victim to farcical feudal reforms. The film chronicles Hari …

In celebration of its fifth anniversary, IFFLA has added a day making it a 6-day long event that runs April 17-22, 2007 at ArcLight Hollywood, a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Hollywood.
Tickets are now on sale online at www.arclightcinemas.com or at the ArcLight Hollywood box office. For more information on how to attend the festival, please visit www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Check out this year’s Film Program and our new Bollywood By Night series, late night 21+ screenings of extravagant, exuberant and energetic Bollywood blockbusters. Chill out, have a drink and enter a world that’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced!
We are proud to introduce IFFLA EcoVision, a program that aims to spread ecological awareness by showcasing films on sustainability, utilizing eco-friendly products and processes, working with eco-conscious non-profit organizations and celebrating Earth Day on Sunday April 22.
If you …

“Tae Guk Gi” (2004) is a sweeping war epic, impressively written, devastatingly photographed and designed, and captivatingly told. It’s old-fashioned mainstream filmmaking, overtly melodramatic and sappy, but deeply moving, disturbing, and breathtaking at the same time.

Set in 1950 Korea, it tells the story of two brothers who are forcefully drafted to fight in the Korean war. When Lee jin-Seouk is taken by South Korean forces to serve, the protective elder brother Lee jin-Tae follows an unsuccessful attempt to bring him back by asking to serve alongside his inexperienced sibling, all in an effort to sheild him. As war thickens and blood and guts spill from all directions, jin-Tae realizes that he needs to find a way to get his brother out of the battlefield, and back home to their mother. He risks his life, volunteering for the riskiest of missions, in an effort to impress …

Come Join Us at IFFLA 2007!
 
 
 
1st Volunteer Orientation March 17th @11am in theatre 8 of Arclight Hollywood
 
2nd Volunteer Orientation March 31 @11am in theatre 8 of Arclight Hollywood
 
VOLUNTEER CALL
The 2007 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) Announces a Call for Volunteers
 
Greetings! IFFLA 2007 is looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of preparation and on site organization leading up to and during this year’s festival, which runs April 17-22 at ArcLight Hollywood, an elegant, state-of-the-art facility at Sunset and Vine in Hollywood. This year’s Festival promises to be an eclectic and exciting event that includes approximately 40 features, shorts and documentaries, Bollywood By Night screenings, a Tribute to an acclaimed Indian actress, Family Focus, informative workshops, and a …