Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
‘Lingua Franca’ a Russian, Phillipino and American story in one: Jhett Tolentino
Films should create meaningful connection with the audience: Ramazan Nanayev
‘Science of Fictions’ about the journey of people trying to speak the truth: Gunawan Maryanto
Goa: November 27, 2019
One constant factor of films showcased at various sections of IFFI is its rich diversity in the subject as well as making. When the cast and crew of seven International films at IFFI came together for a media conference, unconventional themes from across the world converged on a common platform.
Producer of ‘Lingua Franca’ Jhett Tolentino, Director of ‘Roads to Olympia’ Ramazan Nanayev, Director of ‘Head Burst’ Savaz Ceviz, Producer of ‘ Particles’ Estelle Fialon, Actor in ‘The Father’ Ivan Barnev, Actress in ‘Balloon’ Yangshik Tso, and Actor in ‘Science of Fictions’ Gunawan Maryanto participated in the media conference.
Speaking about his ground-breaking film Lingua franca, the first one of its kind written, directed and acted in by a transgender, Producer Jhett Tolentino said, “the movie defies the political atmosphere. It is a Russian, Phillipino and American story in one.”
Highlighting the challenges they faced in making Lingua Franca, Tolentino said, ”The political atmosphere back in America was a reason for apprehension. The film that just won the Best Picture in Paris has received an overwhelming response. It’s a multi faceted story not only about the trans community but ageing of immigrants. Lingua Franca delves into the finer nuances of what's not spoken. The writer focuses on lyricism and poetry and has a slow pace.”
Director of ‘Roads to Olympia’, Ramazan Nanayev said that his film was motivated from a personal story and it sheds light into gender, cultural and social discrimination through the arena of sports from three different countries. He said, “It's inspired by people around me. It's about the athletes, who wanted to make it to the next level by hopping over various kinds of discrimination. One story was inspired by my Russian friend. My upbringing in Russia inspired the Brazilian story.”
Replying to questions, Nanayev said that the films should create a meaningful connection with the audience. “ If audience can empathize and relate to characters and start to see things from their perspective, then other things like awards and recognition will follow,'' he said.
Elaborating the genesis of his film, Director of Head Burst, Savas Ceviz said that it is narrative that marks the inner struggle of a paedophilic architect. He said, “The film is about Markus, a good looking architect, who is a paedophile. Things change for him when he explores intimacy with a boy for the first time. The film shows his struggle to deal with his inclination. More than anything, it is about a human being. As an individual, I am lucky that I am not a paedophile. I found this story very interesting and I wanted to find out more about such characters.”
Producer of ‘ Particles’, Estelle Fialon said it was the first feature film from the director Blaise Harrison made on a scientific subject. She stated, "The film is inspired by the director’s own experience . It told the story metaphorically about the origin of the universe."
Actor Ivan Barnev in the film ‘The Father’ said that the writers of his film wanted to explore the generation gap between children and their parents.” They wanted to portray why and when the children lose the connection with their parents. Though the topic was sad, the directors tried to add elements of comedy,” he explained.
Actress in the film ‘Balloon’ Yangshik Tso said that she researched about the film where she played the role of a nun. Tso added that she picks her roles while reading the script and finds an emotional connect with the script.
Drawing a bird’s eye view of his film, Actor in ‘Science of Fictions’ Gunawan Maryanto said that the film is about people who can’t speak up and able to stand up for truth. “There is a different political scenario in Indonesia. People are being jailed and kidnapped so my film talks about the journey of people who are trying to speak the truth.,” he pointed out.
“This is my second movie with the director and I fell in love with his perspective. He gives me my own space to perform. As an actor, I have enough freedom. I use my body to communicate my feelings and opinions about the story. However, it was challenging for me to act,” Maryanto added.
Lingua Franca
In this beguiling drama, an undocumented Filipina immigrant paranoid about deportation works as a caregiver to a Russian-Jewish grandmother in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. When the American man she’s secretly paying for a green card marriage backs out, she becomes involved with a slaughterhouse worker who is unaware that she’s transgender. Directed by Isabel Sandoval, Lingua Franca is showcased in World Panorama session of IFFI.
Roads to Olympia
Road to Olympia directed by Ramazan Nanayev is a film about three young athletes who face cultural oppression, intolerance and poverty as they pursue a shared dream: to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games. The film sheds light on discrimination due to gender, sexual orientation, and racism represented. By Muna - a Saudi girl student is in love with football but her family opposes it; Roma is a Russian decathlete whose father is a politician supporting the anti-gay law and Manuel is a wrestler from Rio de Janeiro who sees the sport as way out of poverty.
Balloon
On the Tibetan grasslands, Dargye and Drolkar live a serene and ordinary life with their three sons and the grandfather. A condom sparks a series of embarrassment and dilemma, breaking the harmony of the family. What matters more in the circle of life and death, soul or reality? Tibetan director Pema Tseden’s film Balloon deals with this. The film is competing in the International Competition section of IFFI.
Head Burst
Markus, a good-looking, likable and respected architect, is a paedophile. Bodies of little boys excite him. He suffers tremendously because of this inclination. He tortures himself for it and is disgusted by himself. Nevertheless, the arousal is there. And there is nothing he can do about it. He struggles the most when he is about to become sexual with a boy for the first time. That is when he senses that he will not be able to keep his desire under control for much longer. He is getting more and more isolated. Markus struggles to resist the ever-rising calls in his head to finally "do more" with a boy. Directed by Savas Ceviz, the films is being showcased in World Panorama section.
The Father
A day after Valentina's passing away, her bereaved husband Vassil and son Pavel find out that she persistently keeps trying to call the neighbour on the phone. A sucker for the supernatural, Vassil sets out on a trip to meet a famous medium, forcing his estranged son Pavel to tag along and make sure his nutty old dad stays out of harm's way. The unhinged journey that follows will make them face the guilt they feel towards the one they lost and rediscover their relationship. The film is directed by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov.
Particles
At the foot of the Jura Mountains, P.A., aged 17, and his gang of friends are in their last year at high school. 400 feet below ground, the Large Hadron Collider enables scientists to discover previously unknown particles. As the area slips into wintertime, P.A. starts to realize the world around him is on the move. He starts seeing things glow, abnormalities in the landscape, tiny alterations in a familiar ecosystem. The film Particles directed by Blaise Harrison is competing in the International Competition section of IFFI.
Science of Fictions
Siman discovers a foreign crew shooting a moon landing. He is captured and his tongue is cut out. He goes through life in slow motion, imitating an astronaut in outer space, labeled as crazy. The people around him agree that Siman is insane, but what he did is actually words and the only way he knows to show the truth. He is the only one who knew about the world’s biggest lie.