Today at CIFF, the films screened included Bernie from France, You Are My Sunshine from Korea, As The Hours Go By from Argentina, Tomorrow Morning from Serbia, The Insane Flew Away from Iran, Lost In Wu Song from China, Santa Claus Is A Louse from France, Solidarity Solidarity from Poland, The Ninth Day from Germany, The Limb Salesman from Canada, Foul Play from Poland and Taking Father Home from China.
The attendees at today's festival included SS Stanley, Jayam Raja and cinematographer Vijay K Chakravarthy, who are the regulars at this festival. Besides them, director Pravinkanth, lyricist Na Muthukumar, actor Vignesh, dialogue writers Viji (of Azhagiya Theeye fame), Baskar Sakthi (of Em Magan fame) and Art Director Muthuraj were also spotted at the film festival today.
As usual, the Korean film had many viewers today. Since the inception of the festival, Korean films have managed to tug on the heartstrings of the viewers and the emotions they portray are very close to Indian sentiments. You Are My Sunshine is no exception either. This film tells the story of the timid farmer Seok-joong. He has difficulty relating to women. After backing out of a proposal that would have set him up with a Philippine bride, he decides to survive without a wife, until he sets his eyes on Eun-ha who drives past him on her two-wheeler.
Eun-ha, meanwhile, is employed as a sex worker at the local coffee shop, delivering beverages and other services to whoever pays for them. She finds Seok-joong peculiar in the beginning, and is baffled when he delivers free bottles of milk and roses to her everyday. But soon, she realizes his true love for her and accepts him. But happy days don't last. It is soon discovered that Eun-ha is affected with HIV virus. But this harsh reality would not deter Seok-joong or dilute the feelings that he has for her. Eun-ha decides to part ways but the emotional bonding and the intensity with which they care for each other is stronger than what they themselves perceive.
A strong point of the film is that without sermonizing, the film has as its undercurrent some strong observances about rural life and societal bigotry.
The Serbian film Tomorrow Morning, on the other hand, talks of love and friendship.
After spending twelve long years abroad, the protagonist Nele returns to his native city, where he meets his old love, friends and parents. He also plans to marry Maya, who is ten years younger to him. Nele's old friend is envious of Nele's popularity among women. Nele, who suffers from exile remorse, particularly due to his best friend Sima who committed suicide after he left, undergoes a gamut of emotions.
This love drama outlines a deep passion, sensuality, warmth, resentment, possessiveness, betrayal, and a conflict between the irrational and rational, thus portraying a multitude of emotions on the same platter.
The central theme of the film is not any of the aforesaid though. The larger theme that the film conveys is the necessity to bring back time, to cherish moments of joy and togetherness, the tangibility of time and the need for self rediscovery.