A film festival is not just to see films but to get an exposure to a host of things about a country, Antony Lobo, Honorary Consul of Spain, Chennai, said here on Monday.
While speaking at the inauguration of the Spanish Film Festival, he said, this event will give people of Chennai an opportunity to know of the culture, arts, gastronomy and tourism in Spain.
“It provides a great exposure to the Spanish way of life. A few years back, an Indian film was shot in Spain and after that, the number of Indians visiting Spain grew exponentially, from 35,000 to 66,000,” he said.
While the population of Spain is 42 million, the number of tourists visiting the nation is about 83 million, making it one of the popular destinations after France, he said. Actor Sukanya Ramesh said, “Spain has produced some of the most iconic films and the industry is brimming with talented directors, actors and cinematographers. “It is exciting to have a platform to share some of the good works from Spain with the Indian audience,” she said.
E. Thangaraj, general secretary, Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, also spoke. Five films will be screened during this festival from February 17-19 at Alliance Francaise.
