Think 'Ooty' and the image conjured up includes lush tea gardens, colourful and extravagant flower shows, peaceful boating experiences and so on. However, the first edition of the three-day 'Ooty Film Festival' that kick-started today, hopes to lend a new face to Ooty.
"We wanted to break the stereotypical image of Ooty by holding a film festival that is otherwise held in places like Goa," said Madhavan Pillai, director of the festival. The Ooty Film Society is organising the event. Last year, they had organised a film festival only for the people of Ooty. Mr. Pillai adds that they have chosen to screen pan South Asian movies to lend an international touch to the festival.
The festival will feature 120 short films from across eight countries in South Asia at Assembly Rooms Theatre. But why short films ? He explains. "Short films are indeed a challenge as each maker uses available technology to create his/her films. Also, short films are not as popular as feature films. At the festival, we have tried to present these films with the quality of video and audio as that of feature films."
Around 80 of the makers, whose films have made it to the film festival, will be present at the event. Film director Misskin is the guest of honour of the event and will be joined by noted personalities like film directors Sasi, Balaji Sakthivel, Lingusamy, writer Charu Nivedita,etc..
The festival is on till December 10 from 9 a.m to 9 p.m.
"We wanted to break the stereotypical image of Ooty by holding a film festival that is otherwise held in places like Goa," said Madhavan Pillai, director of the festival. The Ooty Film Society is organising the event. Last year, they had organised a film festival only for the people of Ooty. Mr. Pillai adds that they have chosen to screen pan South Asian movies to lend an international touch to the festival.
The festival will feature 120 short films from across eight countries in South Asia at Assembly Rooms Theatre. But why short films ? He explains. "Short films are indeed a challenge as each maker uses available technology to create his/her films. Also, short films are not as popular as feature films. At the festival, we have tried to present these films with the quality of video and audio as that of feature films."
Around 80 of the makers, whose films have made it to the film festival, will be present at the event. Film director Misskin is the guest of honour of the event and will be joined by noted personalities like film directors Sasi, Balaji Sakthivel, Lingusamy, writer Charu Nivedita,etc..
The festival is on till December 10 from 9 a.m to 9 p.m.