Selma George, wife of filmmaker K.G. George, heaps praises on her husband as a filmmaker, saying he’s simply the best in terms of variety of themes, treatment and characterisation. But she reserves her acerbic comments for the person that he is, calling him an insensitive and uncaring husband who has only cared for his cinematic life, friends and flings.
The scene, not in the least adulatory, forms part of the documentary, 8 ½ Intercuts: Life and Films of K.G. George , directed by Lijin Jose and Shahina K. Rafeek, which was screened at the ongoing SiGNS short film and documentary festival in the city on Thursday.
Far from a hagiographic biopic, the documentary captures Mr. George as a master filmmaker and as a man with all his frailties. Mr. George, ailing for sometime, made a rare public appearance as he turned up to watch the documentary which travels through his films with varied themes, shedding in the process light on the man behind them. The film, with interviews and key sequences from his films, was a huge draw at SiGNS. Thursday was also enlivened by the screening of a clutch of resistance films, including March March March , which was banned by the Centre from being screened at Kerala’s International Documentary and Short Film Festival. The film, on the incidents at the Jawaharlal Nehru University between March and September 2016 and the students’ protests that they ignited, proved to be a crowd-puller with powerful content.
Friday will witness the premiere of the biopic K.R. Gowri Amma , shot by the departed director K.R. Mohanan. His film on Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval will also be screened on Friday. Director P.T. Kunju Muhammed will reminisce K.R. Mohanan’s contributions.