Informative arch a big attraction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : From the very moment the city gears up to celebrate the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), cinema becomes the talk of the town. Despite differences in language, culture and customs, the world unites in front of the silver screens inside the cine-halls of the  city. Slightly deviating from the film festivals that the city has witnessed so far, this time, it pays tribute to a whole lot of movies which originated in various corners of the world at various points of time.A descriptive arch set up in front of the Kanakakkunnu Palace as part of the 16th IFFK has turned an attraction for movie buffs. The structure has recorded a list of more than 200 films, starting from Edwin S Porter’s ‘Great Train Robbery’ of 1903 to ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’ directed by Salim Ahmed in 2011. Designed by artist Boban, the arch showcases the name, year of release and director’s name of world classics, national award-winning films and several blockbuster movies. Designed as three frames slanting one on the other, the details are inscribed in white letters on a black background. The dancing emblem of the IFFK and the crow pheasant too appear.To get the details of the films, the designer and team rummaged through the websites and books on world classic movies. According to Boban, “after doing much research, it took some five days to complete the work. Nearly 15 workers were involved. For researchers, the information portrayed on it is supposed to be of great help.” Griffith’s ‘Birth of a Nation’, Orson Wells’s ‘Citizen Kane’, Satyajit Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’, Ghatak’s ‘Subarnarekha’, Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s ‘Elipathayam’ and Padmarajan’s ‘Peruvazhiyambalam’... all are  mentioned on the structure.The arch, which is 15 feet tall and 63 feet wide, has been attracting delegates and the public as well. Made using iron pipes, it is an assemblage of several separate pieces.According to Renjith M, executive member of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, “the structure is a ready reference of world- renowned movies and directors. Therefore, it would be preserved in the Chalachitra Academy in a dismantled form after the festival is over.”The festival office-cum-media centre in the form of a film reel box on the premises of the Kairali-Sree theatre was also designed by  Boban.