The mood at Prasads is finally truly festive. The venue of the 18th International Children Film Festival in Hyderabad is teeming with children out to enjoy themselves at the movies, on the weekend. . The first two days had seen lean attendance.
At Screen 3 one can hear happy cheers and claps. Children of all ages are enthusiastically seated to watch a 3D animated movie from Peru. Titled Rodenica and the Princess Tooth , the 87-minute film is about a rat who wants to save his kingdom. The peasant mouse who wants to become a wizard feels he is a failure and looks up to the master wizard Blue. With the screen opening to the 18th International Film Festival title tune, everyone begins to clap.
“I am being able to bring my child as it’s a holiday today. I will make the most of the weekends because otherwise we don’t get to make them watch good movies made for them,” says a mother who brought her seven-year old son who seems quite happy too.
Another mother points out, “Schools haven’t been informed and none of the schools have given a holiday. From Monday onwards we cannot bring them for the movie screenings. It’s sad because a number of good movies have been lined up in different venues. Prasads is convenient with multiple screens, so we have come here,” she says.
Some children are eager to take part in a story-writing competition after the screenings. They are raring to go: “I will write the story that I have been thinking for a long time,” says nine-year old Sai Kiran. This is Sai’s first experience of a film festival time and a present from his father, for getting good scores. “I was not too keen but once I was here I am overjoyed. I will watch enough and eat only pop corn,” he says.
Elsewhere, a mother was seen compelling her restless son to stay put in his seat. She explains, “I love these festivals and he has to get used to watching good cinema. He will not be happy now because the language is different, but once he grows up he will surely appreciate these forced visits.”
