National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Powerful Portraits

Nepalese film-makers can learn a lot from their French counterparts in depicting women's struggle for dignity and freedom.

By A CORRESPONDENT

Solange is leading a quiet life with her husband in the provinces. Her friend, Mylene, a TV weather forecaster, comes to town one day to sign copies of her autobiography at a local bookshop. Once Mylene leaves, Solange realizes she has fulfilled none of her dreams. Embarrassingly, her life is converted into a dull game.

This scene from the French film "Les Bleu des Villes" (The Blues of Cities) portrays a character that is very different from the Asian or American women Nepalese cinema-goers are familiar with. This 1999 presentation, by Stephane Brize, was exhibited at a three-day French film festival on the theme of women last week. The festival, organized by Alliance Francaise and Kathmandu Film Archive with the support of the Embassy of France and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Russian Culture Center, featured seven films, five of which were directed by women.

The other six films were "La Vie Revee des Anges" (Dream life of Angels) by Eric Zonca-1998, "Venus Beaute" (Venus Beauty) by Tonie Marshall-1999, "La Dilettante" (The Dilettante) by Pascal Thomas-1998, "Haut les Coeurs" (Chin Up) by Solveig Anspach-1999, "Rien a Faire" (Nothing to do) by Manon Vernoux-1999, and "Love Me" by Laetitia Masson-2000.

All these productions fared excellently at the box office. Two characters in "La Vie Ravee des Anges" won the best actress award for the year.

"This festival was supposed to be held in June last year, but because of the disastrous events in Nepal, we had to postpone it till now," said Chantal Lama, director of Alliance Francaise. "All these films have visited whole world," she added.

To viewers used to Hindi and Nepali films, the French films were extraordinary, to say the least. They provided great diversion from the formula-based cinema that cast women in traditional roles. What stood out most clearly from these films was the determination of the French women.

"Our film makers should follow the French films, not by copying their stories and dialogue but by sincerely studying the methods of making films of international standard," said one viewer.

The deep study and hard work that went into making these films were easily apparent. In sharp contrast to Bollywood and Kollywood productions, women in French films are portrayed as strong characters capable of making their own decisions and standing firmly with dignity and freedom.

The film "Haut les Coeurs," screened on the opening day of the festival, portrayed the mentality of Emma, who is expecting her first baby. She learns she has breast cancer and the doctor recommends abortion, saying the treatment she needs is incompatible with pregnancy. Her boyfriend advises her to see another specialist, who gives two options: abortion or breast surgery. After a long struggle between confidence and fear, the couple is blessed with a healthy child.

"It's a look that you see through the cultural differences," said Dominique Plassard, first secretary at the French Embassy. "Such festivals deepen the cultural relations between Nepal and France. We should encourage similar festivals of Nepali films in France. For this to happen, Nepalese film makers should really work hard to try bring out fundamental aspects of Nepalese society like in 'Caravan'," said. "Everybody admires good films. There was no one who disliked 'Caravan' in France."