Indo afro film collaborations are crucial – Cisse

Souleymane Cisse, the acclaimed African Film director said that Indo afro film collaborations are inevitable for cinema and added that young filmmakers and artists should come forward to the mainstream world cinema. Cisse was giving his Aravindan Memorial Lecture in the Nila Theatre. His films have reached after passing through real hard ships and suppression.His film  Waati, which is a story regarding the apartheid that existed in south Africa till the 90’s was banned in south Africa and other countries  because of political censorships. Nevertheless the film went on to win a nomination for Palme D’Or at the Cannes film festival.

Before starting the lecture Souleymane Cisse requested the audience for two minutes of silence as a moment of respect for the suffering women and children in his country, Mali. He then described his journey from his childhood where he dreamt of films everyday and then to Moscow film school and then back to Mali. He was really proud and delighted that his film Waati is being screened in the in the 17^th IFFK.

Veteran director Shaji N Karun, Martiele Knaebel who is the  director of Firbourg  Festival and Martin Armande who is a French Curator.