The silver screen is the space to tell the tales of valour, vigour, heroism, tragedy, comedy, disappointment, victory and many more. Aside from the expected staple fare, world cinema has pictured the life of scientists too. To get a hang of it, walk into Lenin Balavadi in Vazhuthacaud today. Four world movies narrating stories of popular people in science will be shown at the day-long Banner Film Festival.
It begins with Creation, the 2009 Jon Amiel film, about Charles Darwin. The biographical drama film is about Charles Darwin's relationship with his wife Emma and his memory of their eldest daughter Annie, as he struggles to write ‘On the Origin of Species’.
Next is The Story of Louis Pasteur directed by William Dieterle. The early struggles of Pasteur to establish his theories that microbes caused diseases had catastrophic effects on the scientist. He is dismissed by France’s medical academy and emperor Napoleon III comes down against him. In the end, he is being honoured by the very doctors who once scoffed at him.
The third in the bouquet, Madame Curie, is a well-told narrative on the union of Madame Curie and husband Pierre Curie in life and their journey together in the world of science.
The lone mathematician among the four, the fest pays tribute to the legendary man of numbers, Srinivasa Ramanujan, by screening The Man Who Knew Infinity.
The screening organised by Banner Film Society begins at 9.30 am.
