Puducherry can build its identity as a destination where artistic cultural heritage is preserved, said Indianostrum Theatre founder Koumarane Valavane, at a press meet on Saturday to announce the date of Kameleon International Film Festival 2015, Puducherry, and release its logo. The festival will begin from December 4 to 6 this year.
“With Puducherry’s strong association with France and its unique identity, the festival will be ideal here,” he said.
Partnering the festival with Indianostrum Theatre are the Department of Tourism and the Alliance Francaise Puducherry. The Kameleon Festival began in 2010 as a theatre festival, and a second edition was held in 2011. This festival will feature short films, and is aimed at celebrating the work of young, aspiring independent filmmakers. The logo of the festival features the eye of a chameleon, likened to a camera eye.
Tourism Minister P. Rajavelu said that the festival was meant to encourage arts and filmmakers. French Consul General Philippe Janvier-Kamiyama appreciated the work of Mr. Valavane and Mr. Litvine, and said it was a beautiful collaboration between all institutes, and that it was important to promote French and Indian films.
Cinema tourism and ‘Made in Pondicherry’
Alliance Francaise Director Olivier Litvine said with France’s legacy of fine cinema, the Alliance Francaise cannot but be partners for such a festival in Puducherry. “Alliance Francaise screens films every week. For this festival, it will be partnering to screen the films in its auditorium and ‘a la fresca’ style with open air screenings at the Maison Colombani,” he said.
The festival will also have an ‘open air mass public screening’ at Gandhi Thidal
The festival has a ‘Made in Pondicherry’ section exhibiting films made here which reflect the essence of this town. Tourism Secretary Mihir Vardhan said the government was keen on attracting cinema tourism to Puducherry.
He recalled the impact ‘Life of Pi’ had made on tourism in this coastal town. “We want to make use of films as a tool to promote tourism here,” he said.
Alliance Francaise President Lalit Verma added that several Indian and international films had been shot in Puducherry, including French films like ‘Alexandra David Néel’, and a German documentary film, and the festival would be an encouragement for filmmakers to shoot here.
Call for entries
Festival Director Mr. Valavane and his team have invited filmmakers to submit their short films by October 10. There are also cash awards for filmmakers in the competition section of the festival.
Further details on the festival is available on their Facebook page at facebook.com/kameleonpondy, and information on entries is available at indianostrum.org/theatre
/entries.
Cash awards await filmmakers at the competition section of the festival
