Why do we need film festivals ?

Often times I hear people say what’s the relevance of a film festival in these times when the world cinema is available on various streaming platforms. Having worked on two seasons of one of the biggest film festivals in the country, I can safely say this is exactly the time when film festivals are most relevant. And, here are 5 reasons why I think so: -

1) Cinema & more– Unlike popular opinion, film festivals are a lot more than just films. This is a platform where people discover talent and talent finds mentors. A film festival is also a great place to network with the right set of people who one can pitch their stories to & find funding for it - there have been innumerable cases of people finding the right producer and just the right set up to tell the story they want to.?

2) Come face to face with artists you've always admired – Picture this, you’re in a big auditorium, filled with hundreds of cinema lovers and right in front of you is Darren Aronofsky, talking about his process of filmmaking. It does not end there, you also get an opportunity to interact with him, ask all those questions you always had, and tell him why his cinema resonates with you. As Mastercard would say, this is priceless. Year on year a film festival offers you the opportunity to meet top talents from around the world. Artists who have redefined filmmaking, artists who have this invaluable lived in experience that’s hard to find and lots to learn from. This is genuinely once in a life time opportunity.

3) Cultural phenomenon – A film festival is a cultural phenomenon. It’s a platform where one gets to experience what’s it like to be a creator. It also allows audience to be a lot more than just a mere spectator of films by involving them in the entire process. The experience of meeting like minded people, the joy of watching a film before the world gets to see it, the feeling of being surrounded by some of the best creators from around the world, and the idea that every story needs to be told and there are ways to find audience for it is just too powerful can impact lives in ways one can’t fathom.?This where people come together to celebrate creativity & creators in the best possible way.?

4) This is the time for stories & storytellers – Stories are powerful and people like to discover the ones that resonate with them.?There hasn’t been a better time or a better audience for creators than today. Film festivals spotlight young talents and lets the world discover them and their creation. Some of the top talents around the world have been discovered or come to spotlight during film festivals. It’s almost like an alternate distribution channel for smaller, indie films that otherwise don’t stand a chance in a heavy commercial setup. The world is hungry for new stories and a lot of these stories start their journey at film festivals.?

?5) After all cinema is life –?Nothing can ever be compared to the joy of community viewing with people who also like similar kind of cinema. One may argue some of these films do get a theatrical release, some get an OTT release so why go to a festival ? Exactly for this reason one needs to go to a festival – only some of these films get a proper release. One does not get the chance to discover a lot of other gems which perhaps never get picked. Also, the whole idea of going through the line ups and picking the films that you want to watch, the ones you can skip is deeply satisfying and exciting. I would like to end with a quote,?a famous dialogue from one of the most definitive films The Matrix “ To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human” – film festivals are all about impulses and instincts. It’s all about stories, people & being human.