National 8 (Spotlight Weekly)

Cultural Showcase

Nepalese audiences savor the diversity of British cinema

By A CORRESPONDENT

Ever since prime minister Jung Bahadur Rana chose Britain for his first visit to Europe around 150 years ago, the country has awed and inspired the minds of Nepalese. Over time, cultural and social interactions between the two countries have grown.

Whether in times of tranquility or conflict, the United Kingdom has strongly backed Nepal's effort to retain its independence and sovereignty. Nepalese are always inquisitive about the culture and other aspects of a country they consider their oldest and dependable friend.

With support from the British Embassy and other local organizations, the British Council has been organizing the British Film Festival for the last three years. The presence of a large number of youths at the festival underscores the enduring appeal of Britain in the country.

The five-day festival, which began on June 16, featured five British films that explore the rich diversity of modern cinema. The genre ranged from comedy and thriller to mystery.

"Once Upon a Time in the Midlands" is a comedy featuring Robert Carlyle, Rhys Ifans and Ricky Tomlinson. Based in Nottingham, it plots the story of Dek and Shirley, a happy couple whose lives are turned upside down when Jimmy rides into town, with bags of money, charisma and a wicked left hook.

The one-and-a-half-hour film is full of fun and entertainment. The crowd enjoyed every moment of hilarity. With the lifting of the state of emergency and the advent of longer summer days, Gopi-Krishna cinema hall had begun attracting large crowds again. The festival saw an impressive turnout.

"We've already distributed the first three days' tickets. The crowd was twice as large as that of last year," said Uddhav Poudel, proprietor of the hall.

The second film, "The Emperor's New Clothes", was also a hit, as the instant response of the large number enthusiastic crowd underscored. The story of the film relates to the untold, funny and romantic tale of the diminutive world conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte. Ian Holm is superb in the dual role of the Emperor Napoleon and his double.

As all the five films are new and interesting, they helped Nepalese understand the culture and film industry of the United Kingdom. Although many things have changed since the visit of Jung Bahadur, the quest of Nepalese to understand British culture remains undiminished.

"This is Not a Love Song", the third film in the festival, is based on a love story. The film is completely different than the earlier two. It is a thriller based on a story of murder of teenagers who take the rap and they incidentally killed a girlfriend of another. Spike and Heaton are the contradictory characters as both have their own different characters. One is competent but unreadable and other is instinctively afraid. The audiences found interesting in full 92 minutes of screening.

While the five-day festival gave Nepalese audiences the opportunity to taste the best specimens of British films, it also provided a reminder of the vibrancy and depth of the relations between the two countries.