Entertainment
Ekadeshma fest brings Bhutanese films to screen
An orientation on Locarno Open Doors, an initiative to assist and encourage upcoming independent movies in South Asia,Samikshya Bhattarai
An orientation on Locarno Open Doors, an initiative to assist and encourage upcoming independent movies in South Asia, coincided with the screening of three Bhutanese short movies on the second day of the Ekadeshma International Short Film festival, currently ongoing in the Capital. The three-day fest is being held at QFX Kumari Cinemas and at an open location in Kirtipur.
Speaking to the Post, head of Open Doors Program, Sophie Bourdon, said, “It is a programme that aims to assist directors and producers from countries in South and East Asia, where independent film making is still in its infancy. We have worked with as many as 46 countries in the last 14 years and have carried out over 183 projects as part of the initiative.”
She further added, “We are working on South Asia for the next three years providing training, consultancy and platform to emerging film makers. We hope that we will be able to connect the filmmakers here to the international market and teach them different approaches to filmmaking used in other parts of the world.”
According to Bourdon, eight projects per year from South Asia will be able to take part in dynamic platform where the project holders can meet potential European and international partners through Open Doors.
The event also saw the screening of the three Bhutanese movies—The Red Door, The Monk in the Forest and A Song of Silence. Speaking to the Post about the movie The Red Door, its director, Tashi Gyelshen, said, “The movie is about my 22-year-old nephew’s suicide. I think the making of the movie was my way of consoling myself and saving my sanity. I believe that if you have a story then you should try to tell it, otherwise it will get lost. So I made this film to tell my own, as well as my nephew’s, story.” The movie was part of the category Enter the Dragon, which aims to honour the thriving Bhutanese movie industry.
The three-day fest will continue till November 13 showcasing 78 films from 38 different countries.