The annual Konkani Film Festival will commence in Delhi today, August 3 to 5. This will be an opportunity for Goans living away from home to watch movies that remind them of what they have left behind. For the thousands of first and second generation Goans living in Delhi it will be an opportunity to interact with the directors who will be present at the venue. The festival at India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg is being organised by Goenkaracho Ekvot.
The president of the organisation, Sagar Kurade, says that this film festival which was an annual affair would showcase four Konkani films. August 3, Sonia Filinto’s ‘Bread and Belonging’ will be screened. The movie explores the complex issue of migration around bread or the pao. The synopsis of the story is about two bakeries in Goa. They are as similar as they are different. Alzira’s family has been baking bread for generations. They might be ‘insiders’ but are challenged to find local Goan workers in this labour intensive trade. The survival of the bakery thus depends on the daily toil of family members. Not far away is another bakery run entirely by ‘outsiders’. Kiran and his co-workers set out daily at the crack of dawn, cycling for miles to deliver bread. Displaying the tenacity of migrants, they adapt to a new trade, new language and even new diet. While the two bakeries labour on, a returning migrant, Marius, is on a mission. Marius’ family is originally from Goa and he has set himself the task of reclaiming bread of the past. He hits the streets determined to achieve his goal. This movie is about this story.
Visitors to the festival can also watch ‘Soul Curry’ by Nieelesh Malkar on August 3. It is a subtle narrative of a father of four daughters obsessed with a yearning for a son. Featuring popular Bollywood star Jackie Shroff as Philip Branco, a saxophone player who is married to singer Mary but due to changing times in the world of music his work becomes less and he is reduced to play at funerals. Philip and Mary have been blessed with four daughters and Mary has quit singing to take care of her family, while in hard times she decides to start singing again but Philip does not allow her. One day, Philip throws Mary and his four daughters out of the house as she can’t bear a son, due to his arrogant behaviour, he also loses his job and loneliness turns to depression. His childhood friend offers him a job of bookkeeping in a hotel. He keeps Henry, a guitarist, as his paying guest but his past comes to haunt him when Angelica starts to live with him as paying guest and makes his life hell. Philip then realizes his mistakes he committed 20 years back and wants back Mary but it’s too late for him.
On August 4, visitors can watch Menino Mario Araujo’s ‘Ghor Sounsar’. It showcases the emotions of parents who ignore their son as they pursue new heights in their corporate life and its effects on the young boy. On the final day of the festival, August 5, Joe Rose’s ‘Mariola-the Girl Child story’ will be screened. It focuses on how the desire for a son makes people do very strange things.
Sonia Filinto, one of the directors who will be attending the film festival says that her movie, ‘Bread and Belonging’ was screened a couple of times in Goa and she was very keen to have the movie screened across the country and abroad. She says, “This opportunity to showcase my movie in Delhi is fantastic. It will be a great opportunity to interact with first, second and third generation Goans and to listen to their feedback. I am sure the young Goans will have very interesting observations”. She says the film ought to be shown in more places where Goans reside. She feels it would be good if she would be able to screen it in various parishes in Mumbai. Sonia divides her time between Goa and Mumbai.
Goenkarancho Ekvot is an association of Goans living in the National Capital Region of Delhi. Over the last two decades, the association has been holding Goan cultural events in Delhi which helps in promotion of Goan language, music, art and culture. The association has planned other Goan cultural events for the year such as; tiatr in September, 2023 and Goa Festival in November, 2023.
