Kolkata International Film Festival: Day 1 & 2

DAY 1: Kolkata international Film Festival organizers were left red-faced when Australian filmmaker Paul Cox, who is heading the jury at the ongoing festival, skipped its first press conference, owing to time mismanagement.
Cox, who has many prestigious awards in his kitty , was not thrilled when he had to wait for over an hour.While the director reached the venue right on time for the conference scheduled at 2 pm, KIFF committee members were over an hour late, which prompted him to leave for film screenings. Yadav Mondal, on behalf of the organizers, pacified the media promising another conference with Cox, sometime during his seven-day stay in Kolkata.

DAY 1: Tanuja, who came with daughter Tanishaa to KIFF, was rushed to a hospital after she complained of breathlessness. The veteran actress was allowed to go home post check-up. She has already reached Mumbai

DAY 1: Pradipta Bhattacharya and Rupankar were present to catch 40 Days of Silence — a film from Uzbekistan. We spotted Gaurav Pandey, who had come to watch Cox's Force of Destiny. Barun Chanda and Aparajita dropped in for the press conference of Riingo's Ghuri.
In Pic: A still from 40 Days of Silence

DAY 2: She turned quite a few heads as she walked in beauty , an elegant headscarf covering her hair. But Niki Karimi only had her eyes on the sari. The Iranian filmmaker and actress, seven of whose films are being screened at the festival, was visibly awestruck by the Indian garment. “She kept garment. “She kept looking at sari-clad women. She asked what it's called, how to wear it and where she could buy some," said Somali Panda, her coordinator in Kolkata. The directoractress was so fascinated by the sari that she skipped a few screenings and got a couple of attendants to accompany her to a city mall to buy saris. Talk of going the whole six yards!

DAY 2: When it comes to Bengalis, the only thing that can be compared to their love for movies is their love for movie stars! Koel Mallick realized that when she was almost crushed by star-struck fans at Nandan. Koel, who was with daddy Ranjit Mallick to catch the screening of Paul Cox's Force Of Destiny, was supposed to take part in a discussion, which also had Goutam Ghose participating. But things seemed to be going out of hand as 500 fans ran up to the dais. Koel looked visibly rattled by the selfie-seeking crowd. She and Goutam were hurriedly escorted out of the dais.

DAY 2: Paul Cox, whose press con was finally held on the second day, spoke at length about his film. “Filmmaking is all about celebrating life. It's because I have seen death from close quarters. I like to protest against the ills of society through my films, even though my ways are very subtle," he said.
Trivia: The Aussie filmmaker's photographs were exhib ited along with those of Satyajit Ray, back in 1970, in Kolkata.
In Pics:Paul Cox with Mohan Agashe at the film fest