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The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue is really a European affair-a directive to encourage a shared European identity. That identity may be decidedly wobbly-as is apparent from the nervous attention given to the Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty and the recent agonising over relations with Russia-but thanks to the active European cultural institutes in Kathmandu, it has provided as good an excuse as any for a film festival whose stated intent is to encourage other nations to "explore the benefits of their own multicultural and multilingual heritage."
Although some films on show are now a few years old, they are new to Nepali audiences, and have garnered critical praise and reasonable box-office takings in their respective countries. Besides the must-sees that film connoisseurs may have already set their sights on-namely Ken Loach's The Wind that Shakes the Barley and Wolfgang Becker's Good Bye Lenin-the festival features other noteworthy entries.
The German comedy Kebab Connection (2004) is one: an aspiring Turkish filmmaker has ambitions to make Germany's first kung fu film but for the moment must make do shooting commercials for his uncle's kebab shop. Another to note is the Danish film, Kongekabale (King's Game), directed by Nikolaj Arcel-a political thriller about the damaging collusion between the media and politicians (nothing new there, then).
Kebab Connection puts a Turkish-German spin on the very familiar American format of big comedies. Its protagonist, Ibrahim 'Ibo' Secmez, travels the route of the reluctant, ill-prepared father-to-be before eventually stepping up to the plate. It is a well-worn idea, but nicely executed and given a new twist. Not only is he a pot-head, but he is of Turkish descent and his family thoroughly disapproves of his German girlfriend. The film doesn't shy away from the complicated ways different communities relate to each other. Heavily populated with a host of hilarious characters and juggling a bundle of plot-lines, it manages to be well paced and scores plenty of laughs by affectionately poking fun at its immigrant subject.
Kongekabale explores some serious-minded ethical issues, not the least of them being the compromised nature of the press in democracies. A rookie reporter, Ulrik Torp, is placed on the parliament beat after the leading candidate in an imminent election meets with a serious car accident. Information fed to Torp from a source inside the party earns him a front page scoop, but digging deeper has serious consequences for him. King's Game has a certain aura of authenticity. It is based on a novel by a former spin-doctor for a Danish conservative party who witnessed at first hand the dirty power struggles that occur in politics, so conceivably it has a basis in reality. Sadly, what it gains in believability it loses in dramatic tension. It is nevertheless thought-provoking stuff that has you asking what's behind the headlines you read each day.
Films for all tastes
Whether it's the animated French film, U, in which a princess is befriended by a unicorn, or the Danish Kongekabale, where an obsessed political journalist struggles to unravel a conspiracy, the European film festival at the Nepal Tourism Board Auditorium at Bhrikuti Mandap, has something for everyone. The 10 films on show will be screened twice from 27 September-1 October.
L'Esquive (Games of Love and Chance) (30 September 12 PM, 1 October 12 PM) The grim housing estates of the Paris suburbs provide an unusual setting for this atypical romantic comedy about young North African immigrants rehearsing for a school play set in the 18th century.
U (27 September 6 PM, 28 September 10AM) Little princess Mona, lives in despair and is mistreated by a pair of detestable rats. However, after she is befriended by the unicorn, U, Mona's misery is replaced by happiness.
Grow Your Own (27 September 10 AM, 29 September 6PM) This British comedy directed by Richard Laxton finds a group of Liverpool gardeners up in arms when refugees are given some gardening plots in the same allotment.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (29 September 12 PM, 1 October 4PM) A dramatic Irish tale of two brothers who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for independence from Britain who find each other on oppositise sides when a treaty is signed.
Good Bye Lenin (28 September 6PM, 30 September 10AM) The story is set before the fall of the Berlin Wall and revolves around Alex, and his strongly socialist mother who lay in a coma as the wall came.
Kebab Connection (29 September 4 PM, 30 September 4PM) A romantic comedy about an aspiring Turkish filmmaker in Germany who gets his German girlfriend pregnant and what happens when his conservative family finds out.
Mies Vailla Menneisyytta (The Man Without a Past) (27 September 4 PM, 30 September 6PM) A man is so badly beaten up in Helsinki that he can remember nothing at all about his past. Unable to get a job or a place to live, he has to slowly rebuild his life from nothing.
Suden Arvoitus (Mystery of the Wolf) (28 September 12 PM, 1 October 10 AM) This is an entertaining family adventure film from Finland, in which a young girl called Salla rescues two wolf cubs from poachers. From then on she spends her time battling to save them.
De Fortabte Sjaeles O (Island of Lost Souls) (27 September 12 PM, 28 September 4PM) In this adventure film, 14-year-old Lulu's brother is possessed by the 19th century spirit of Herman Hartmann and he sets off on journey to stop dark forces determined to take over the world.
Kongekabale (King's Game) (29 September 10 AM, 1 October 6 PM) Political power struggles and conspiracies come up against the obsession of young political journalist Ulrik Torp in this Danish thriller as he tries to report the truth.
Free passes will be available at Nepal Tourism Board one hour before the show.
