The South Asian Film Festival that starts in Goa on September 17 will highlight films from Afghanistan and will open with An Apple from Paradise, an Afghan movie directed by Hamayoun Morowat.
According to Mr Rahul Baruah, secretary of SAFF, other than regular feature films, the four-day long festival will also highlight classics, short films and documentaries from the region.
Around 50 films from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and India will be screened at the festival, said Mr Baruah adding that a delegation from Bhutan would be taking part for the first time.
“Other than movies from Afghanistan, we will be screening some excellent films from Pakistan like Kala Pul and Gurmukh Singh Ki Wasiyat (based on a short story by author Saadat Hasan Manto),” he said.
Thie year the festival’s theme is “dissolving boundaries for larger socio-cultural and political objectives”.
”India’s soft diplomacy with the help of movies is well appreciated. Now we are trying to build an atmosphere in India where films from other South Asian countries can also be appreciated,” Mr Barua said.