Carlos Reygadas to grace IFF Colombo 2014

by Anuradha Kodagoda

In September, the International Film Festival (IFF) of Colombo 2014, and the Digital Film Academy at Sri Lanka Foundation will host the internationally acclaimed Mexican film-maker Carlos Reygadas as the key international figure in the country's first-ever international film festival.

In addition to screening a number of his multi-award winning films, he will also conduct a two-day master class on film direction as part of the festival's program. Carlos Reygadas will visit Sri Lanka for the first time with his wife and film editor Natalia Lopez.

Carlos Reygadas has marked his imprint at the prestigious Cannes Film festival.

In 2002, he blazed the trail by winning the Camera d'Or award for his film Japón (Japan) which was about animal cruelty and in 2005 he was nominated for the Palme d'Or award for the film, Battle in Heaven. With Silent Light, Reygadas competed once more for the Palme d'Or and won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival where he is a prominent writer–director of modern Mexican cinema.

Besides, Carlos Reygadas also won the Best Director award in 2012 at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Post Tenebras Lux and more awards at the Chicago Film Festival and also at the Ariel Awards in Mexico.

The First International Film Festival of Colombo will be held from September 2 to 7. The festival will showcase a diverse array of films from close upon 35 countries which will be screened at some of the Colombo’s best cinemas including the Regal Cinema, Empire Cinema (Arcade Independence Square), Majestic City Ultra and Tharangani (National Film Corporation) as well as the Goethe Institut.

All screenings are free and are open to all appropriate audiences.

This is the first time that Carlos will conduct a Master Class in an Asian country and hence it will be a great learning opportunity for prospective film-makers from the South Asian region.

The two-day Master Class on Film Direction will be open to students and young film-makers who are serious about direction. Of the applicants from Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries, 40 participants will be selected following an interview.

The workshop will be attended not only by Carlos Raygadas, but also his wife Natalia Lopez who is a film editor.

Internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan film director Vimukthi Jayasundara and cinematographer Dhanushka Gunathilake will also be part of the panel. They will share their knowledge and experience with participants for two days. Visit www.iffcolombo.com for further information on the festival.