KIFF Day 7

The seventh and last day of the Kolkata International Film Festival saw a panel discussion on the use of digital technology in cinema in current times.Speaking on the topic, Tollywood director Gaurav Pandey said, “Technology is a tool; it can't be blamed for good or bad cinema. The audience doesn't deem a film good or bad based on how it is made; it's the content that matters. Digital technology has also made room for indie films, which are giving us some really good content.“

Speaking about the impact of digital technology on film music, Tanmoy Bose said, “It has taken the human touch out of music, especially film scores. Digital instruments can't replace analog ones. Moreover, the easy availability of soundscapes has reduced creativity , as all it takes to create sensational music now is a little digital tweaking. A tiny hand-held device has replaced a full orchestra. Now, music is basically cut-paste; there's hardly any thinking or creativity involved,“ he said.

Filmmaker Ashoke Viswanathan, however, asserted that the use of digital technology has, in a way , curbed the creativity that went into filmmaking in the analog age. “Now, filmmakers prefer to take multiple takes instead of brainstorming ahead of a shot about how to make it perfect. It has made films glitzy and fast, but has effectively stifled cerebral cine ma,“ he said.

We spotted several Tollywood celebrities at the festival venues in the past seven days. While Pradipta Bhattacharya, Anik Dutta and Ushasie were regulars at the fest, viewing several of the films, we spotted June and Koneenica on three days. ‘I love films. So, I try not to miss any,’ said Pradipta, who caught at least three films a day