Promoting good cinema was the message that emerged from the inauguration of the Coimbatore branch of the Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation (ICAF) at PSG Institute of Management on Saturday.
“The idea is to bring international films to Coimbatore regularly,” said R. Nandhagopal, director, PSGIM.
The chapter will function from the premises of the Institute.
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Film festivals
Earlier this year, PSG Institute of Management, in association with ICAF and the European Union, had organised a week-long EU Film festival.
“The European film festival was a big success. We plan to bring Australian, Chinese and Japanese films, among others, once every two months,” he added.
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Such film festivals take place in nine metros in India. And, Coimbatore is one of the first tier two cities to have hosted such a festival.
“Our idea is to bring what the festival offers in Chennai to lovers of cinema in Coimbatore. In the future, we plan to hold discussions at the end of every film screening,” he added.
Speaking at the inauguration, General Secretary of ICAF, Emanadar Thangaraj, said that the objective of ICAF is to promote good cinema.
“We want to showcase the technical excellence used in films from various countries, enhance the knowledge here, and improve their efficiency in film making in India,” he added.
ICAF organises film festivals every month with films obtained from Embassies and Consulates.
Next month, the Coimbatore chapter will screen films from Asian countries. “It begins with Chinese films,” Thangaraj said.
Every December, ICAF organises Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF), during which they screen a total of 140 films over a period of seven days.
“We want to bring a wing of the CIFF to Coimbatore too. International film festivals needn’t be confined to the metros. We want to take them to smaller cities too.”
The inauguration was followed by the Egyptian Film Festival, supported by the Embassy of Egypt, New Delhi, and hosted in Coimbatore by PSGIM.
The festival is on till September 25.
On show
Some of the films that would be screened at the festival are Hasen & Morkos, directed by Ramy Imam, a story on friendship that must withstand prejudice and social persecution; Waled We Bent (Boy & Girl), directed by Kareem El Adl, about a romance full of emotion, adventure and humour; and El-Ard (The Land), set in an Egyptian village and directed by Youssef Chahine.
Entry is free and open to anyone over the age of 18.