Jury chairman says he is a Satyajit Ray fan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned Australian film director Bruce Beresford, who is the jury chairman for the international competition section of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is a great admirer of legendary Indian filmmaker late Satyajit Ray’s ‘Apu Trilogy’.
“I think they are some of best films ever made. I have seen them several times, and keep their DVDs with me at home.They are old films, but are timeless. They are so moving, incredibly affective, entertaining and so authentic in reflecting the human emotions,” Bruce told TOI here on Friday.
He says he was also fascinated by the Bollywood sports film ‘Lagaan’. “It is not a very serious movie, but it is extremely entertaining. The dance choreography, the music, technical sophistication, and many other ingredients make it a superb entertainer. To me it appears to be quite exotic. Who thought we can make such an entertainer on cricket. Some of the Indian films display remarkable energy and oeuvre,” Bruce said.
Bruce was in India for four days about 15 years back to shoot one scene in one of his films. “But that was a short trip. This is my second visit to India, and the first as a jury chairman. Replying to questions Bruce said he is excited about the list of films included in the competition section of the IFFK. “I have not seen any of those films, but I’m sure they are wonderful films. I’m looking forward to watching them. You will never get to see such films while sitting in Australia,” he said. Asked whether he was optimistic on unanimous choice of the winner at IFFK, Bruce said, “I have headed juries in other places like France, and usually one or two films in the competition section stand out to contest for the top position. Mostly, the jury members arrive at a unanimous choice.”
He said modern filmmakers are able to deal with their subjects more candidly than it was possible in the past. They are able to go into the depth of their themes and deal with complex situations. Technological developments have also equipped them to make sophisticated films. According to him many great talents are emerging in the film field across the world and it cannot be said that the demise of great film personalities like Akira Kurosawa has created a complete void. There are several immensely talented filmmakers in various countries. For instance, the Chinese film maker Shan Zhashuzhi Lian, whose work ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ that was screened as the opening film at the IFFK, is one of the remarkable emerging talents in the global cinema.