Art films no more taken seriously: Vipin Vijay

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Filmmaker Vipin Vijay wanted to know whether anyone was taking the Indian “art films” seriously. He was taking part in the IFFK Open Forum on the subject ‘Reclaiming Art Cinema in Indian Context’ here on Friday. Mr Vijay seemed to suggest that the perceived irrelevance of Indian art cinema movement was a function of the muddled priorities of premier art institutions in the country. “Institutions like JNU or FTII, which are supposed to exist as the link between Indian traditional crafts and the winds of modernity that are sweeping the world, seem to have forgotten their fundamental mandate,” he said. It has also not helped, he said, that one Indian filmmaker did not care to engage with another Indian filmmaker.  

Vipin Vijay also felt that it was high time that cinema was seen only in a cultural context. “Films should be seen in other dimensions, too. For instance, from an anthropological view,” Mr Vijay said. Filmmaker Dr Biju, whose ‘Kaadu Pookkunna Neram’ is in the IFFK Competition this year, focused on the financial travails of a parallel filmmaker. “The producer and director of the film are left to fend for themselves. They push themselves to near suicide to get their films done, and no one seems bothered,” Dr Biju said.

Vidhu Vincent, the woman presence in IFFK competition this year, argued from a female perspective. “It really upsets me that no woman has not found a place in IFFK’s Competition,” said Ms Vincent whose ‘Manhole’ will be screened on December 11. “Rather than about reclaiming art cinema, we should be discussing about claiming a space for women in art cinema,” she said. Alluding to the anecdotes on film festivals that veterans like Amol Palekar and T.V. Chandran shared, Ms Vincent asked: “Is there a single woman here who could share her experience of visiting film festivals.” According to her, there are innumerable hurdles to the entry of women into filmmaking. "It is my father who gave me the money to begin my project but I am not sure whether other other women aspirants are as lucky," she said.