National 10 (Spotlight Weekly)

West Meets East

Through five splendid productions, Nepalese audiences get a glimpse of life in the United Kingdom

By A CORRESSPONDENT

Torrential rains could not dampen the spirit of Nepalese movie enthusiasts last week. At the initiative of the British Council, British Embassy and Nepal-Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, audiences in the capital were treated to a rich sampling of British movies at the Gopi Krishna Film Hall in Kathmandu.

Beginning with "Lucky Move", a romantic story, the British Film Festival 2002 featured five movies representing a wide variety of themes. Containing their own peculiarities, the British films lured a large number of Nepalese audiences usually treated to Hollywood fares.

Inaugurating the festival : Positive response from Nepalese audience

Over the last few years, movie aficionados in Kathmandu have had the opportunity to see films from different countries. For an audience exposed to heavy-duty commercial fares, movie festivals provide glimpses into the artistic manifestations of cinema. The British Film Festival 2002 offered audiences here a rare window into the life, culture and values of the West.

The five films chosen for the festival featured an elegant mix of comedy, romance, gangsterism, women's aspirations and determination. They mirrored the life, culture and social behavior in the United Kingdom. Sponsored by Gopi Krishna Cinema and Qatar Airways, the festival helped audiences generally used to lumping all Western films together to get a better understanding of the peculiarities of British productions.

Directed by Peter Cattaneo, "Lucky Break" stars many popular British actors. The story is based on a HM Prison Long Rudford. It is a romantic comedy with unpredictable scenes. "High Heels and Low Life" also attracted a fairly good audience. It is a story of women who are willing to do any kinds of job in the 21st century.

"Last Resort" tells the painful story of refugees living in the camp. Featuring Dina Korzun, Paddy Considine, Artium Strelinkov and Lindsey Honey, it is a story of a young Russian woman and her son who find themselves virtually imprisoned in a deserted seaside resort where all refugees are forced to live, where they have no passport, no money and no rights. The film depicted the growing problems of refugees in United Kingdom and other European countries.

"There's Only One Jimmy Gribble", starring Robert Carlyle, Ray Winstone and Gina McKee, is full of childhood stories. It tells the story of a bullied teenager's rocky journey out of childhood and into adulthood without ever taking its tongue out its check.

Although the festival lasted for only five days, it brought Nepalese audiences a significant step closer to the richness and variety of international cinema.

SAARC MINISTERS' MEET
Breaking The Ice

The two-day 23rd meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers concluded here last week pledging to boost cooperation among member countries in such areas as promoting economic cooperation, fighting terrorism and alleviating poverty.

After the conclusion of the meeting, chairman of the SAARC Council of Ministers and Minister for Health Sharat Singh Bhandari told reporters that member states undertook a comprehensive review of progress made in the implementation of the decisions taken by the 11th SAARC summit held in Kathmandu in January this year.

The council of ministers also directed that the second and final meeting of the fourth round of South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement negotiations be held at the SAARC Secretariat next month (Sep. 2-4) in order to deepen tariff concessions ranging from 5 to 100 percent and widening the basket of 5,500 commodities. Bhandari said the Secretary-General of SAARC, Q. A. M. A. Rahim has been preparing a regional poverty profile as directed by the 11th SAARC Summit.

The Council of Ministers also approved three concept papers presented by Nepal on SAARC Award, rationalization and institutional issues relating to SAARC and the formation of autonomous advocacy group of women personalities of SAARC region. A meeting of the police chiefs of SAARC region will be held in Kathmandu on August 28 and 29 with a view to expanding cooperation in combating terrorism.

The Council of Ministers also decided to recommend that the summits should be held on a fixed date in January every year. The 12th SAARC summit will be held in Islamabad, between 5 to 20 January, 2003. The final dates will be announced as per the convenience of the host country and after consultations among the members.