Indo-German relation has completed 60years. On this occasion, PIFF has declared Germany as the country partner for the 10th Pune International Film Festival. There are 47 German films that would be screened at this festival. The inauguration of this ceremony was done at the hands of Michael Flucht, Director of Max Muller Bhavan, Pune, Johannes Naber, Director of the German film Der Albaner (The Albanian) which is part of the festival and Ravi Gupta the secetaryof PIFF.
The opening ceremony was followed by a discussion on the German cinema and how it had evolved over the years.The panel for the discussion included Prof. Ranadive, Michael Flucht, Mr Bhatacharya who is a Professor at FTII, Anil Jhankar who is an expert on movie appreciation to name a few.
Dr. Jabbar Patel, Director of PIFF was also present at this event. His vote of thanks was followed by the screening of a 2011 German drama film Schlafkrankheit (Sleeping Sickness) directed by Ulrich Kohler. It has premiered at a competition at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, where Kohler won the Silver Bear for Best Director.
Here is the summary of the movie
Dr Ebbo Velten, the protagonist works in Africa on a project for treating sleeping sickness patients. He is there with his wife and daughter. The family is all set to move back to Europe but Ebbo has and stays back.
The film then skips three years into the future where Alex Nzila, a French inspector from the World Health Organization pays a visit to assess the program. One might sense a sudden disconnect while watching the movie. It takes some time to figure out where the story is leading. When Alex arrives at the clinic in Africa, he wishes to talk to Dr Velten to assess the project, but Dr Velten is nowhere to be found. When Alex comes looking for Dr Velten he sees a woman at the clinic who about to give birth, and he steps in to help as there is no doctor around. Alex has never performed a Caesarean and is quite skeptical. Luckily, Dr Velten arrives just in time to perform the operation and deliver the baby. It is only then, that we realize Velten’s wife and daughter have moved back to Europe without him, and that he has started a relationship with the local woman who gave birth to his baby.
Velten takes the inspector to see clinics testing for sleeping sickness, but no cases are reported. Velten takes the inspector to see a business venture on the marshes.
Later, Dr Velten takes Alex hunting in the bush at night with his colleague and a guide. The colleague has an argument with Velten, and then leaves and goes back to town. Velten and the guide continue hunting while the Alex sleeps. Alex is woken by a gunshot and soon sees the guide coming towards him, who takes Alex to the river before leaving. Alex sleeps there for the rest of the night and is then picked up by the guide in a boat. It is unclear what has happened to Velten, but it is assumed that he is dead. After the boat leaves a hippopotamus emerges from the jungle, which may have played some part in Dr Velten’s death.
The movie has some light moments which make the audience laugh. There are other instances where one would feel that the story flows without a sense of direction.
