2005. My first edition of Pune International Film Festival, introduced to me by a then new acquaintance. I went for the festival, only because the focus that year was on French films and it would be an excellent opportunity for me to improve on my Compréhension Orale. Geek. I know. I hadn't expected to emerge from that dizzying week of films, films and more films with an extremely dear friend who has been responsible in many ways for the person I am today and a mind that had grown so much within seven days that I am almost ashamed to admit how ignorant and foolish I was before... Ever since then, PIFF has represented two things : seven days of excellent cinema, mind-fucking, intellectual, or just plain silly and the birth of one of the most precious friendships I have forged.
From 2005 to 2009...it's been one helluva journey for my friend and me, for cinema and me. Our friendship has weathered the worst and survived. My taste in cinema is far more defined and informed (and I'd like to believe, more intelligent), though I continue to stay ignorant about the technicalities of film-making. This year, there isn't single chance of my friend making it for PIFF and even though I have a free pass (I get around you know) I haven't seen a single film yet. It is no big deal I know. Film festivals happen. Work happens. Life happens. You have to miss film festivals. But I feel as though I'm committing blasphemy. It's almost a sacrilege to be in Pune, hold a pass and not go watch some uber-mind-fucking excellent cinema.
I haven't made any resolutions this year - but here's one today. I will watch at least one film at PIFF before it ends...and I embark on the next journey. Amen.
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At PIFF, so far I watched 10 films, walked out of one, missed out some others. Watched a few excellent and some average films. But one Turkish film named Three Monkeys made a deep impression in my mind. It was moody, melancholic, and superbly directed. My friends who watched it did not like as much as some other films, but I think some images of this film will stay with me, at least for some time.
You're right about saying that sometimes life and work needs to take priority. So, missing out the film festival needed not weigh too heavily on you. Probably, you're feeling worse because you had been a regular for last so many years.
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