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A grand farewell bash for outgoing French diplomats

A grand farewell bash for outgoing French diplomats

Time of Indiaa day ago
On Friday evening, the city's diplomatic and cultural circles gathered to give a warm farewell to the outgoing Consul General of France, Alliance Française director Didier Talpain, Nicolas Facino, and his wife, writer and poet Iryna Vikyrchak.
Hosted by Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Kolkata, Arvind Sukhani, the event was as much about goodbyes as it was about celebration, with the occasion doubling as the fourth edition of the much-loved Monsoon Karaoke.
Speaking at the event, Sukhani said, 'With Didier and Nicolas it just clicked from the moment we met. A promise was made to Nicolas that I will celebrate his farewell, while keeping it a surprise for Didier and here's a toast to both of them.'
More than the place, it's the people I'll never be able to forget. It felt like home here. We spoke the same language, the language of arts and music
– Nicolas Facino
As diplomats, we are used to this feeling of leaving places as our work demands so. With Kolkata, it was different. The city, its people were so welcoming. When I think of Kolkata, I think of its vibrancy and colours'
-Didier Talpain
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A grand farewell bash for outgoing French diplomats
A grand farewell bash for outgoing French diplomats

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Time of India

A grand farewell bash for outgoing French diplomats

On Friday evening, the city's diplomatic and cultural circles gathered to give a warm farewell to the outgoing Consul General of France, Alliance Française director Didier Talpain, Nicolas Facino, and his wife, writer and poet Iryna Vikyrchak. Hosted by Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Kolkata, Arvind Sukhani, the event was as much about goodbyes as it was about celebration, with the occasion doubling as the fourth edition of the much-loved Monsoon Karaoke. Speaking at the event, Sukhani said, 'With Didier and Nicolas it just clicked from the moment we met. A promise was made to Nicolas that I will celebrate his farewell, while keeping it a surprise for Didier and here's a toast to both of them.' More than the place, it's the people I'll never be able to forget. It felt like home here. We spoke the same language, the language of arts and music – Nicolas Facino As diplomats, we are used to this feeling of leaving places as our work demands so. With Kolkata, it was different. The city, its people were so welcoming. When I think of Kolkata, I think of its vibrancy and colours' -Didier Talpain

Spotlight on global stories, innovation and Oscar-worthy shorts at BISFF
Spotlight on global stories, innovation and Oscar-worthy shorts at BISFF

Time of India

time4 days ago

  • Time of India

Spotlight on global stories, innovation and Oscar-worthy shorts at BISFF

The 15th Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF), accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is now underway, featuring a blend of online and in-theatre screenings. Virtual viewings began on August 7, with in-person screenings scheduled from August 15 to 17, at venues across Bengaluru, namely, Suchitra Academy, Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, RV University, and Curiouscity Science Centre. Festival director Anand Varadaraj says, 'This year promises to be bigger and better, with more films, diverse voices, and engaging sessions. We're excited to welcome audiences to experience the vibrant world of short films.' A look at what the fest has in store for film buffs: Conversations on cinema The event will also host engaging panels, including: Screens – Big, Small, Handheld with Arun Sagar, Kishore, Rajesh Nataranga, Sudha Rani, and Arun Mandala (Cinimage); Diversity in Moving Image Media with Vasudhendra, Mujeer Pasha, Medhini, and Poojita Prasad; Cinema Studies in India featuring Ashish Kulkarni, Umesh Kulkarni, Gaurav Trivedi, and Piyush Roy; and Film Distribution. A special talk by Maike Mia and Umesh Kulkarni will look at How Not to Enter European Film Festivals. Learning from the experts This year's line-up features a host of cinema-focused workshops for budding filmmakers — from the Selfie Workshop by editor Sri CrazyMindz, to Writing Micro Dramas with Abhishek Iyengar, World of Imagination in Animation by Kartik Mahajan, and a Direction Workshop with Tushar Hiranandani. Focus on transformation This year's theme is 'Transform'. 'It's a reflection of the massive changes we're seeing. The world is shifting rapidly, and so are we. We've evolved, too, in how we think, create, and connect. We are standing at the edge of something huge – AI is shaking things up, and it's not just about movies anymore. It's about how we live and work. I think to stay ahead – to be future-forward – we should adapt, evolve, and be open to totally new ways of doing things,' Anand shares. Students to take centre stage 'Students are playing a significant role in this year's festival, contributing their work and engaging in various sessions. Their involvement brings valuable energy and new voices to the conversation around short films,' says Anand. Films From Across The Globe 'BISFF receives over 3,000 film submissions each year. This year's Oscar-qualifying categories include International, Indian, and Animation Competition Sections, giving audiences a chance to see some of the most creative shorts from around the world,' adds Anand. We in the cinema industry are standing at the edge of something huge – AI is shaking things up. To stay ahead, cinema should adapt, evolve, and be open to totally new ways of doing things Anand Varadaraj, festival director India's Only Oscar-qualifying Fiction Film Festival BISFF is India's only Oscar-qualifying short film festival. 'As an Oscar-qualifying festival, the best films in our international and Indian sections are eligible for Oscar consideration. The Academy doesn't directly select short films; instead, it relies on accredited festivals to recommend entries. Our winners join a pool of films recommended globally, increasing their chances for an Academy Award nomination,' shares Anand, and adds, 'Last year's International Competition winner, I'm Not a Robot by Victoria Warmerdam went on to win the 2025 Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. '

Film festivals help raise the standards of regional cinema, audience discernment, says Sreekar Prasad
Film festivals help raise the standards of regional cinema, audience discernment, says Sreekar Prasad

The Hindu

time5 days ago

  • The Hindu

Film festivals help raise the standards of regional cinema, audience discernment, says Sreekar Prasad

Film festivals have an important role in raising the quality of regional cinema and the standards of audience appreciation of the art, noted film editor A. Sreekar Prasad said on Friday (August 8, 2025). Inaugurating the Second International Film Festival hosted by the Puducherry Film Forum, the multiple national award-winning film editor noted that as a place where not only those in the cinema industry but people from all walks of life gather, a film festival's greatest advantage is that it presents cinema from across the world in its purest form. The three-day free entry fete, held in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association and Alliance Française, is showcasing a cross-section of world cinema with entries from the U.S., France, Spain, UK, Iran and Argentina apart from India. Mr. Prasad pointed out that a festival was also a forum where participants could learn and unlearn and return emotionally charged after the exposure to different kinds of cinema happening all over the world. 'It will eventually improve the quality of regional filmmaking and also how the audience looks at films. Films are art forms that are there for posterity and leave a lasting impression on people,' he said. These sort of platforms were a great opportunity for everyone to see good films, interact with filmmakers and probably learn and unlearn from watching films that are made for commercial reasons, he added. 'To get a pure cinematic experience, I don't think there is a better place than a film festival,' Mr. Prasad said. 'And, when the lights are off and the sound comes on, the sort of thrill that a filmmaker would probably get is incomparable.' Satish Nallam, president of Alliance Française, Laurent Jalicous, Director of Alliance Française, Sivakumar Mohanan, filmmaker and C. Patcheammalle, Secretary of the Puducherry Film Forum spoke. Prominent personalities from the realm of film and literature participated in the opening ceremony. In addition to the screenings, the event is also featuring a masterclass by Sreekar Prasad on August 9, film reviews and discussions. The Forum had launched the first film festival in 2024, building on its 12-year legacy of organising international documentary and short film festivals annually since 2011.

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