Balkan film fest in Kochi

In September, CAC Friday Cinema is bringing a set of Balkan movies by Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica to film lovers. Emir Kusturica has been recognised for several internationally acclaimed feature films. He has won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival twice.

On September 13, Time of the Gypsies, released in 1988, which earned Kusturica the Best Director prize at the Cannes, will be screened. Set in Sarajevo and Italy, the movie tells the story of a young Romany (gypsy) with telekinetic powers, who is seduced by the quick-cash world of petty crime.

1985 film When Father Was Away on Business will be screened on September 20. Tito’s break-up with Stalin in 1948 marked the beginning of not only confusing, but also very dangerous years for many hard-core Yugoslav communists. A careless remark about the newspaper cartoon is enough for Mesha to join many arrested unfortunates. His family is now forced to cope with the situation and wait for his release from prison.

The story is told from the perspective of Malik, his young son who believes the mother’s story about father being ‘away on business’.

Black Cat, White Cat will be screened on September 27. It is the story of Matko, a small time hustler, living by the River Danube with his 17-year-old son Zare. After a failed business deal, he owes money to the much more successful gangster Dadan. Dadan has a sister, Afrodita, who he desperately wants to see get married so they strike a deal: Zare is to marry her. But none of the two cares much for an arranged marriage.

The venue is CAC Auditorium and the screenings will begin at 6.30 pm. Entry is free.