Feast for the eye

FILM BUFFS are in for a delectable treat. The best of German cinema in the last decade will be showcased in Chennai from January 28 to 31. Eight selected from among hundreds.

The themes are spread across a vast canvas. Some are political commentaries with a dose of Hitler, like `Schtonk' and `Comedian Harmonists', which won the German Film Award, 1997.

If `Broken Silence' explores aspects of German culture, `Short Sharp Shock', `23 Social Club' and `Kaspar Hauser' are tragedies with a touch of the paranormal.

`Beyond Silence', a 1997 Oscar entry, sounds much like `Kamoshi' sans Salman Khan.

And of course, there's `Buena Vista Social Club', a 2000 Oscar nomination, considered to be among the best documentary films ever made.

A collection of the best. So what if they are in German.

The `Decade of German Cinema' is part of the German Festival of India, 2000-2001, organised by the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC), in association with the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and with assistance from the German Consulate, Chennai.

The German Festival itself is in reciprocation to the Indian Festival held in Germany earlier, a spokesperson of Max Mueller Bhavan, Chennai, said.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the festival on January 27.

Sadly, though, the film festival is not open to the public. Officials of the SIFCC said that only those associated with the film industry or the chamber would be given invites.

However, it's a rare chance to explore good cinema, its language and structure. Definitely, not one to be missed.

By Feroze Ahmed

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