Patna Filmotsava from December 25

PATNA: The concept of film festival organised by citizens’ body might have become a passe in Patna now for more than one and half decade or so, but national unit of Jan Sanskriti Manch (JSM) has taken the plunge and is organising its 12th three-day film festival, “Patna Filmotsava”, beginning December 25.
It, in effect, would set the platform for the annual feast of films, along with discussions on various arts by experts with active voluntary participation of the citizens.“People are now going out to cinema halls to see and enjoy films both of the Bollywood and Hollywood-verite,” said JSM national council member Santosh Sahar, adding: “Citizens have right to come together to see films of their choice. The underlying theme is human protest under conditions facing them.”
The avowed aim ought to be hailed as a healthy practice in the era of digital technology and virtual world that has pushed the film-viewing act to the private realm of atomised individual or family.
As a matter of fact, the Patna Cine Society (PCS), with Dr Dilip Sen and other connoisseurs of cinematic art and craft as patrons, used to earlier organise screening of films of Bollywood and foreign production in different genres in IMA hall.
PCS, however, was formed in 1948. “It has had a chequered life. It remained active, and then came to a stop. It was revived again in 1974, and continued to organise screening of mostly foreign films for over a decade,” said PCS secretary Gautam Dasgupta.
Given the backdrop, the decision of JSM to serve a slew of Indian and foreign films in various genres has attracted interest. The screening would be done at Bihar Industries Association (BIA) hall.
Films and documentaries to be screened include “Komal Gandhar” of Ritwik Ghatak, “Mahua Memories” by Vinod Raja, “Gadi Lohardagga Mail” by Biju Toppo/Meghnath, “The Neighbour” and “The Cherry Tale” by Norman McLaren, “The Vehicle With The Soul of A Man” by Balaka Ghosh, “Voice From Balliapal” by Vasudha Joshi/Ranjan Palit, and “America America Printed Rainbow” by K P Sashi/Geetanjali Rao.