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Musings from The Melbourne International Film Festival 2008.

For those who went ‘Oh! not another diss at the critics!!’ - Surprise!!! It aint!

This was the tag line for this years bonanza. In MIFF Exec. Director Richard Moore’s own words “it’s an acknowledgement of the collecive spirit that MIFF engenders in this great southern city”.

Can’t refute that!
But this is not just a Melbournite character these days. A simple google of the term film reviews will prove my point. But that’s besides the point.

I, normally, love the festival ID spot. It sets the tone before every movie apart from its usual advertising role . I would also like to believe that as we settle into the hall packed with strangers eager to watch the movie, the festival short kinda brings us all to a common plateau of empathy. If you are an avid festival goer, you will understand what i mean or better still have a look at the MIFF 2007 spot.

Rather than the visuals, its the music that sets this tone I am talking about. But this year, things were different, its one thing to come up with a tag line to reflect the spirit of the festival goers, but when u get promo with dialogue to fill in for the music, you kill the joy a bit, however well done it is.

Have a look here (Sorry cant find an embed). ‘The plot was allovvahdaplace’ does sound endearring though eheh

So here I am, week after, with a smile on my face. It is a surprise for friends who consider me a die hard ‘cynic’ to see me so. More so when it involved a couple of hundred bucks expenditure and no form of alcohol- not even a whiff. Film fests does have this effect on me. Its been so, since IFFK ‘96. However, the Indian experiences never left a hole in my pocket. There’s always friends with passes or friends who can make passes
Sometimes relatives involved in the organising committee have been surprised by my visit and sudden love for them. Hell I don’t need to say more, most of you know there’s always a way.

MIFF 2007 welcomed this Sydney sider Melbourne skeptic to this city. I had been spoilt by the IFFk experiences and to put it simply, this felt like home. Spread over 4-5 theaters in a kilometer radius, the organizational map was strikingly similar. The comparison though ends there. The mad rush to get to the next show in IFFK is replaced by a easy stroll since you have already booked your seat for the next show. The films are scheduled better to include a coffee-tea/smokie break between shows and each day starts off around 11 ish which is a godsend to someone whose nursing a hangover after a stiff movie and a good drink.

It didnt help that I didnt have a place to stay then nor could afford the full festival pass. But what better way to warm up to a new place than by watching a few movies.

2008, however, proved a different experience, helped in no small way by a healthy bank balance a place to stay not far away.

Well, before the flashbacks, da CLIMAX!!

“The Melbourne International Film Festival opened on July 25th with the World Premiere of Mark Hartley’s Not Quite Hollywood. 17 days, 280 feature films, 10 World Premieres, 81 short films, 51 international guests and 67 Australian guests later, the 57th Melbourne International Film Festival came to a close on Sunday night with a “collective screaming” of Spanish horror film, [REC] at the Greater Union cinemas.”

The Wackness won the audience award for most popular feature and MIFF International Ambassador Morgan Spurlock’s Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden won the audience award for best documentary.”

You can find the full list of movies here

More to follow…
Shesham baakkiyil…

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