Films selected by Jury - 2019
2019
Jury Selected
1. Khamosh Pani
Dir.: Sabiha Sumar
(Pakistan-France-Germany (Punjabi-Urdu) / 2003 / 99)
Synopsis: Ayesha is a seemingly well-adjusted middle-aged woman whose life centres around her son Saleem – a gentle, dreamy 18-year old, in love with Zubeida. They live in the village of Charkhi, in Pakistani Punjab. The story begins in 1979, in a Pakistan under President General Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law. The country has embarked on the road to Islamisation. Saleem becomes intensely involved with a group of Islamic fundamentalists and leaves Zubeida. Ayesha is saddened to see her son change radically. Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India pour into the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was abducted in 1947. This awakens heart-rending memories…
Cast: Kirron Kher, Aamir Malik, Shilpa Shukla
2. My Second Year In College (Singapore Premiere)
Dir.: Rasoul Sadr Ameli
(Iran (Farsi) / 2019 / 99)
Synopsis: There are two close friends, two university girls, going on an excursion to Isfahan. When one of them falls into a coma, for the other one, any confrontation turns to be a new challenge. Confrontations with her own mother, sister, and fiancé, her sleeping friend, her parents and her boyfriend and of course, the university officials…
Cast: Soha Niasti, Fereshteh Arastouie, Ali Mosaffa
3. Sindhu Bhairavi
Dir.: K. Balachander
(India (Tamil) / 1985 / 159)
Synopsis:The plot of the film revolves around the three lead characters: a Carnatic singer J. K. Balaganapathi (JKB), his wife Bhairavi, and his girlfriend Sindhamani aka Sindhu. At the peak of his career, JKB gets addicted to alcohol following complications with his affair, and his career goes into a downward spiral. Bhairavi tries to detox him and fails. As a last resort she requests Sindhu’s help and succeeds. The status of relationship between the three after his makeover is the resolution of the film.
Cast: Sivakumar, Suhasini, Sulakshana, Delhi Ganesh, Janagaraj
4. Sarvam Thaala Mayam
Dir.: Rajiv Menon
(India (Tamil) / 2019 / 131)
Synopsis: Sarvam Thaala Mayam is a coming-of-age film that highlights the journey of Peter, a talented young man, trying to find his place in the world of classical Indian music. Peter sets out on a journey that helps him evolve personally, spiritually and musically.
Cast: G.V. Prakash Kumar, Nedumudi Venu, Aparna Balamurali, Vineeth
5. Butterfly Symphony (Samanala Sandhawaniya)
Dir.: Jayantha Chandrasiri
Sri Lanka (Sinhalese) / 2013 / 119)
Synopsis:Vadeesha Devaminda Wickramanayaka is a highly creative and sensitive young music student in his school. A special love letter that he finds accidentally, written by Punya, a women, more mature than him in both age and life, motivates him for some soul searching. He is also haunted by guilt, because he fails to deliver the letter, to who it belongs. His relentless efforts to return the letter to the women to her lover, fail. Sympathy mixed with emotions of love he feels towards this women, leads to him creating a song that captures a cathartic experience. This popular creation and many other songs that he gives birth to, for a period of 20 years, makes him a prominent musician in the country. But however, his memories and nostalgia towards Punya make him a failure in his married life. Although he regains his life by returning the letter to Punya after 20 years by chance, she is now left with a feeling of void her life.
Cast: Yashoda Wimaladharma, Uddika Premarathna, Pubudu Chathuranga
Special
Screening
1. The Lizard
Dir.: Kamal Tabrizi (Special Screening)
(Iran (Farsi) / 2003 / 115)
Synopsis:A recently jailed petty thief disguises as a Mullah and succeeds in escaping; but has to stay in the Mullah’ role longer than he expected to.
Cast: Parviz Parastouie, Shahrokh Foroutanian, Maedeh Tahmasebi