52nd International Film Festival of India has announced line-up of nine films that will compete for the ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at the 52nd International Film Festival. The films selected are as follows-
- 21st TIFFIN
Director: VijaygiriBava | India | 2020 | Gujarati | 88 min. | Colour
Synopsis: 21st Tiffin is a story of a middle-aged lady performing as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter, as a sister and as a friend. She runs a Tiffin service for herself. A grown-up daughter Nitu notices that her mother is doing all her duties well but there is an affliction exists that reflects in her behavior. Dhruv, a young boy who comes as a 21st customer of her Tiffin appreciates the lady. The sudden entry of appreciation and attention strikes out the affliction of mother. Observation of Nitu about her mother weaved through emotional and sensitive situations makes an interesting drama.
- COMMITMENT HASAN
Director: Semih Kaplanoglu | Turkey | 2021 | Turkish | 147 min. | Colour
Synopsis: Making his living from gardening and farming in the land he inherited from his father, Hasan tries to get rid of the power pole that is going to be installed in the midst of his land. His impending voyage to Mecca for pilgrimage leads to soul searching into his past.
- KILLING THE EUNUCH KHAN
Director: Abest Abed | Iran | 2021 | Farsi, Arabic | 110 min. | Colour
Synopsis: The serial killer intends slaughter so much that the blood spills over the ditches of the city. To reach this target, he designs a plan in which victims kill victims. The plan carried out and the stream of blood gradually fills the ditches of the city by the people who kill each other.
- KOOZHANGAL
Director: Vinothraj P S | India | 2020 | Tamil | 77 min. | Colour
Synopsis: Two arid hamlets separated by a distance of 13 kilometers from the down South ofTamil Nadu unfurl a drama witnessed by the sun. On an unbearably hot day, Ganapathy, an alcoholic wife beater drags out his young son Velu from school and embarks on a journey to fetch back his wife whom he had chased away. On reaching the in-laws house, he learns that his wife has already left to return to their home. In frustration, he gets involved in a brawl with his in-laws earning the further disapproval of his son. The young boy dispels his frustration by tearing up the bus fare into bits. This leaves the duo with no choice, but to walk on foot in the scorching summer beaten rural landscapes to reach home. Their feelings are intertwined with the land, where the blazing heat fires up the father’s rage. This journey is fraught with the sweat and smudge of the common folk, crawling critters and the deserted terrain. Towards the end, the nurturing nature of women assuages the hunger and anger of men. This vicious cycle of love and hate is bound to repeat itself.
- LINGUI, THE SACRED BONDS
Director: Mahamat Saleh Haroun | Chad, France, Belgium, Germany | 2021 | French, Arabic | 87 min. | Colour
Synopsis: On the outskirts of N’Djamena in Chad, Amina lives alone with her only 15-year-old daughter Maria. Her already fragile world collapses the day she discovers that her daughter is pregnant. The teenager does not want this pregnancy. In a country where abortion is not only condemned by religion, but also by law, Amina finds herself facing a battle that seems lost in advance
- NIGHT FOREST
Director: André Hörmann & Katrin Milhahn | Germany | 2021 | German | 96 min. | Colour
Synopsis: PAUL and MAX are best friends. On the first day of summer vacation, they tear away from home and look for a legendary cave high up in the mountain forests. Alone in the wilderness, the two experience an undreamt-of freedom and face great dangers and insurmountable obstacles. A great summer adventure begins.
- NIRAYE THATHAKALULLA MARAM
Director: Jayaraj | India | 2021 | Malayalam | 90 min.
Synopsis: An eight-year-old boy Poojan is not any ordinary boy. He earns a living by doing mean jobs like fishing in the back waters to look after his family consisting of a drunkard father, grandfather and great grandfather. His mother eloped with another person years back.
One day poonjuan saw a blind man sitting alone in the boat jetty who seemed to have lost his way home. He is demented, and only remembers a certain tree full of parrots in front of his house. An attempt to report this man in the police station was futile.
At last, Poonjan decided to find the way back to the blind man’s jouse by trying to spot the tree full of parrots. Poonjan tried to find the way to the blind man’s home, asking directions to acquaintances and strangersenroute. Disheartened with the outcome of their journey, he was about to give up on the quest. Right then, they hear the sound of parrots which lead them to the “tree full of parrots”.
- TOKYO SHAKING
Director: Olivier Peyon | France | 2021 | French, English, Japanese | 101 min. | Colour
Synopsis: March 11, 2011. The biggest earthquake Tokyo has ever experienced triggers the Fukushima disaster. Alexandra has just arrived in the country from France to work in a bank, and has to face this nuclear crisis. Torn apart between her work and her family, she will defend honor and given word despite emerging terror and anxiety.
- WHEN POMEGRANATES HOWL
Director: Granaz Moussavi | Australia, Afghanistan | 2021 | Farsi, Pashto | 80 min. | Colour
Synopsis: On the streets of Kabul, a child dreams of making it big and has a chance encounter with a foreigner bring in his quest for stardom.
