Third Eye, 2022, 19, 01: Asian Film Festival resurfaces after Covid break

The 19th edition of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival, organised by the Asian Film Foundation, will begin from December 12, 2022. Started in 2002, under the stewardship of Mr. Sudhir Nandgaonkar, the festival is a one-of-its-kind experience for film buffs from Mumbai. It allows them to watch parallel cinema from various Asian countries. Supported by Government of Maharashtra, the Festival has received special assistance from Prabhat Chitra Mandal, one of the oldest film societies in India.

As many as thirty films, applauded at the international level, and shown in many international film festivals, will be screened at the festival, from December 12 to 18, 2022. Films in various local languages from Asian countries, including Iran, Bangladesh and Srilanka will be showcased at various screens of the P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, located at Prabhadevi, in central Mumbai.

The festival will be inaugurated at 7 pm on December 12, 2022, at the Mini Theatre of the Academy. Legendary actress of yesteryear, Asha Parekh, who was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke award this year and was felicitated at the International Film Festival of India, Goa, will be felicitated at the inaugural function. The festival will open with the Srilankan film, The Newspaper, directed by Sarath Kothalawala and Kumara Thirimadura. Aparajito, a Bengali film directed by Anik Dutta, will be the closing film of the festival, on December 18.

Six Srilankan films will be screened in Country Focus category. Hellaro, a national award-winning Gujarati film, directed by Abhishek Shah, will be the main attraction of the special category, in which Gujarati films are being screened for the first time. Dhaad, 21MU Tiffin, Reva, Aa Chhe Maru Gav are the other Gujarati films scheduled to be screened. Regional films, such as Dictionary (West Bengal), Stallone My Pony (Manipur), God on the Balcony (Assam) and Kaajro (Goa) and Marathi films including Funral, Godakaath, Kaali Maati, Bharat Maza Desh Ahe and Faas are part of the films to be shown in the festival. Dr. Santosh Pathare-directed documentary, Sumitra Bhave– Ek Samantar Prawaas, will be screened in the festival, as a tribute to noted Marathi film director, late Sumitra Bhave.

Selected 30 short films, picked from 120 entries that participated in the competition, will also be screened at the festival. Two short films selected by a renowned jury panel as part of the competition organised as part of the festival, will be awarded during the closing ceremony.

Registration for the Third Eye Asian Film Festival is open at Ravindra Natya Mandir from December 5. Delegates can register themselves for the festival by paying Rs. 500, while the Film Society members and students can enroll by paying Rs. 300. The registration can also be done online. The online form is available on website www.asianfilmfestival.in