For a very long time, film lovers in the city could get to watch parallel cinema only on Sunday afternoons in Doordarshan. It was not until 2003 that Vizag film aficionados were exposed to some of the great names of world cinema when the Vizag Film Society was formed.
Affiliated to the Film Federation Societies of India (FFSI), the society had 50 members then who used to get together on Sunday evenings for film screenings, which over a period of time gave the parallel film culture of the region a new verve. “My affinity for parallel cinema and world films developed when I was a child. I was introduced to great names of cinema when I got membership in FFSI. My experience has made me believe that films play a very vital role in moulding the young minds. Unfortunately, the Telugu film industry lacks that quality or culture. The idea of forming Vizag Film Society was to screen films which were entertaining yet realistic and expose the viewers to multiple perspectives of cinema and film-making,” said Narava Prakasa Rao, founder and secretary of VFS.
Today, the film society has 150 members and 30 life members. The society’s screenings are open to non-members as well who can also take part in film workshops, film appreciation courses and attend festivals. Over the years, the society has screened hundreds of films by greats like Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, Majidi, and Charlie Chaplin.
Informative pamphlets
At a time when critically acclaimed cinema can be freely downloaded off the Internet, the film society screens films of the masters of cinema and, art documentaries on a big screen. They also give informative pamphlets about the films and the directors. According to Mr. Rao, watching good cinema with a like-minded group on the big screen opens up new nuances of the film.
The film society culture, especially in smaller cities which has limited access to world cinema, has contributed to the enhanced awareness levels of viewers, exposed the masses to world classics and to the possibilities of this powerful cultural medium. While Kerala and Bengal have maintained a strong base of film society culture, sustained efforts by a team of film lovers in places like Visakhapatnam, Indore and Nagpur have seen this culture evolve in tier-2 cities. “We have viewers from all age groups today. Film appreciation leads to a demand for good movies,” added Mr. Rao.
Easy accessibility of advanced technology has helped film societies in a big way. The availability of films in DVD format and affordable pricing of projectors have made screenings possible even in a small seminar hall. Vizag Film Society has been organising screenings at AU Seminar Hall and Visakha Public Library. However, according to Mr. Rao, an adequate and affordable space for regular cinema screening is still a dream in the city for which he feels the state government should actively come forward and support the culture of sustaining a parallel culture of films.
Film festival
The society is organising a three-day children’s film festival from May 26 to 28 at Prema Samajam Hall, Dabagadens. The films that will be screened at the festival are director Sivan’s ‘Abhayam’, Sai Paranjpe’s Bhago – The Ghost, both dubbed in Telugu, and Majidi’s Iranian film ‘Children of Heaven’ with English subtitles. There is no entry fee for the festival. Shortly after this, a short film-making workshop by filmmaker Ashish Sinha will be organised.
Unfortunately, the Telugu film industry has nothing much to offer Narava Prakasa Rao, founder and secretary
VFS.
