Dharamsala International Film Festival (DIFF), held from November 7 to 10 in Mcleod Ganj, was an event not to be missed! Many of us rearranged our schedules, and put work on hold, so as to be able to attend. The annual festival was celebrating its 8th consecutive year, and for the hundreds of movie buffs who attended, all came away more than satisfied.
This year it was held in the newly built halls at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), which had been inaugurated just a few days earlier by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. What luxury to watch these hand-picked films/documentaries in three large halls projected onto giant, unwrinkled screens! Finally the facilities did justice to the superb quality of the chosen films. In years past, we had made do with rather make-shift amenities – in less than grandiose locations. What a treat therefore to watch in comfortable seats, in a spacious auditorium, and with excellent sound!
There were many thought-provoking themes covered cinematically in the wide range of films shown at the festival. There were almost too many excellent films to choose from! Fortuitously, many of the directors were actually present in person, to hold question and answer sessions after the viewing. This definitely added an extra dimension to the experience.
The festival goers came from all over India, and even from the wider world, to attend the screenings. Amongst the many interesting people present, I also rubbed shoulders with students from The Ardee School in Delhi. They told me that they had found the children’s film Kastoori very disturbing, but unforgettable. It was based on a true story of a young Dalit boy who had to clean toilets and septic tanks and who did post-mortem work at a local hospital to support his family. Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) students, as well as children from Gamru Village School, and some 250 students from other local schools also attended and were visibly moved. A lively discussion followed afterwards between the children and the director, Vinod Kamble.
Many visitors expressed their appreciation for the high quality of the films selected and the fact that many directors were having their Indian premier at this festival. There was such a diverse range of subject matter, and the films came from as far afield as Syria, Poland, Peru, Iran, Italy, Japan, Germany, Cambodia, Portugal, Macedonia, Palestine, Sweden etc.
There were also plenty of Indian films and documentaries from all over the country, including Kashmir, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Two of my personal favourites were the film Khanaur by Gurvinder Singh, which was set in nearby Bir, and a jewel of an animation film, Bombay Rose, which took the director Gitanjali Rao six years to make. Again, having both directors in attendance made the viewing experience all the more special and insightful.
There was also a wonderfully appropriate Tibetan angle to the festival, with the documentary The Dalai Lama – Scientist having its Indian premiere. Made by the American director Dawn Engle, it follows the story of the young Dalai Lama fascinated by technology and science while still in Tibet, and his regular interaction with world-class scientists since he has come into exile. The documentary explores some of the overlap between Buddhist philosophy and the academic disciplines of quantum physics, cosmology, psychology, sociology and neuroscience.
The short documentary, Light A Candle, by local Tibetan director, Tenzin Kalden, was also a big hit at the festival. It charts the efforts of young Tibetan activists who attempt to break a Guinness World Record by lighting 130,000 candles on a birthday cake. In this way they want to draw attention to the disappearance in Tibet of the Panchen Lama by the Chinese, and to mark his 29th birthday.
Whatever the perspective taken in the films – pariah dogs in Kolkatta, an aging widow in Allahabad, parents of a newborn baby in war-torn Alleppo, a 95-year-old Bharatnatyam dancer from Kerala, or traditional bread makers in Kashmir, all of them expanded the imagination and understanding of the enthusiastic audience.
There was a small army of volunteers which ensured the smooth running of the festival. Some were recruited from colleges that offer Film Studies or Mass Media/Communication degrees, including some students from Himachal Central University.
Many of these older students had the chance to attend several special programmes given by the filmmakers, actors and other guests from the film industry. This was an excellent and rare opportunity for aspiring students to get away from abstract theorising, to the practical nitty-gritty of the many aspects of filmmaking.
The DIFF film festival’s Outreach Programme, led by Mathew Singh-Toor and Abhishek Thakur, had already been held last month in Dharamsala District Jail, Central University Campus, and at the Government Bachelor of Education College. In these locations the films reached over 500 appreciative viewers and there were moderated discussions after the screenings in which the themes and issues were further explored.
Many of us practically lived at the festival for three full days, which was easy as there was a variety of food stalls that catered to the palates of both vegetarians and non-veg festival-goers. Local arts and crafts and NGOs were also well represented. So staying from morning to night, watching fantastic films, meeting great people and eating well, continues to be a delightful high point in our calendar year in Mcleod Ganj.
The husband and wife duo, (renowned film directors themselves), Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, who are also the DIFF Directors, did a marvellous job once more this year. They have truly achieved their original aim of bringing high-quality, independent, national and international films up here to us in the mountains. We are grateful, and we can’t wait to see the cinematic gems they will offer us next year!
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