Low Indian participation at Eurasian filmfest

Antalya, Turkey, Oct 11 (UNI) For this quaint little seaside resort in the south of Turkey, this is an event that all residents look out for throughout the year.

Not merely because it is the venue of both a national and an international event, but because their screen idols descend from the Turkish screen to the streets of this town, and it is no wonder that large crowds stood on both sides of the road, leading from the hotel where the opening reception was held to the venue of the inauguration of the 45th Altin Portakal (Golden Orange) Film Festival yesterday evening, waving frantically to anyone who looked like a star to them. The Fourth Eurasian Film Festival which runs concurrently with the Golden Orange opens a day later.

The 45th Golden Orange Film Festival, along with the Fourth Eurasian Film Festival and a film market have been organised by TURSAK, the Turkish Foundation of Cinema and Audiovisual Culture from 10 to 19 October.

However, while the festival has seen a marginal increase of participation from India in terms of delegates, it is astonishing that the Fourth Eurasian Film Festival did not have a single entry from India against at least one last year (Frozen by Shivajee Chandrabhushan).

In fact the festival last year also had greater Indian participation in the sense that at least three other films- Shekhar Kapur's -Elizabeth-the Golden age, Asif Kapadia's Far North and the American A Mighty Heart had involvement of Indians, though the films came from other countries.

More UNI XC AE HT2152