Syne International Film Festival
Encyclopedia
Syne International Film Festival (SIFF) is an annual film festival
at Muvattupuzha
, Ernakulam(Cochin) in Kerala
, India
. Syne International Film Festival was first conducted in 2001 May in the name of Chalana (in eng. meaning: Moving). The First Film festival was started with the film The Cup from Tibet
. The festival was conducted by Ginu George, Director of Chalana and his colleagues during his Masters in Journalism and Communication at School of Communication and Information Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University
, Kottayam. Samir Salam, a film savvy young media professional was the inspiration for Mr. George behind the Film festival, which featured 20 films during 4 days at Muvattupuzha
, 35 kilometers away from Cochin in Kerala
.
The festival also offered filmmaker workshops, industry seminars, discussion forums, and outreach activities that include screenings in rural and urban areas where international cinemas access are non-existent. The second film festival was on 2002, which was conducted by Chalana Film Society in association with Muvattupuzha
Press Club
. The festival screened its first movie in the Muvattupuzha
Municipal Park for 800+ Public film supporters. The festival featured 16 Films categorizing Family & Love as the main theme. The festival was inaugurated by Priyanandan, young film director in Malayalam language.
The third Film Festival was at Perumbalam
in 2003, an Island
in Alleppy in association with a regional arts community. The festival initiated with the film No Mans Land, featuring the war in between Bosnia and Serbia
. The festival featured 16 films including short films and documentaries.
The fourth film festival theme was War & Peace, conducted at Muvattupuzha
in 2005 May. The film festival was dedicated to Twelve-year-old Ali Ismail Abbas
of Iraq
who suffered 60% burns in the attack which destroyed his Baghdad
home and killed his family. Ali lost two hands and legs in the Second Gulf War. The inaugural film was Khantahar by Mohesin Makmalbaf. The festival also featured the documentary Godse.
In 2005, Chalana conducted Touring Talkies - Film festival along with Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
at Muvattupuzha
. The festival featured 18 films and exhibited the 100 years of Malayalam and Indian Cinema.
In 2009 Chalana, the non-profit society merged with Syne Foundation, a non-profit organization under Syne Group headed by Ginu George. The Film Festival is renamed as Syne International Film Festival (SIFF) and the new festival is scheduled for 2011 May
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
at Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
, Ernakulam(Cochin) in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Syne International Film Festival was first conducted in 2001 May in the name of Chalana (in eng. meaning: Moving). The First Film festival was started with the film The Cup from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. The festival was conducted by Ginu George, Director of Chalana and his colleagues during his Masters in Journalism and Communication at School of Communication and Information Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The University Grants Commission of India does not believe that the names of Indian universities should be unique, so another UGC-recognized government-run Mahatma Gandhi University was...
, Kottayam. Samir Salam, a film savvy young media professional was the inspiration for Mr. George behind the Film festival, which featured 20 films during 4 days at Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
, 35 kilometers away from Cochin in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
The festival also offered filmmaker workshops, industry seminars, discussion forums, and outreach activities that include screenings in rural and urban areas where international cinemas access are non-existent. The second film festival was on 2002, which was conducted by Chalana Film Society in association with Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
Press Club
Press Club
The Press Club was established in 1882 as a London gentlemen's club. For much of its history, it occupied premises in Wine Office Court, near Fleet Street...
. The festival screened its first movie in the Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
Municipal Park for 800+ Public film supporters. The festival featured 16 Films categorizing Family & Love as the main theme. The festival was inaugurated by Priyanandan, young film director in Malayalam language.
The third Film Festival was at Perumbalam
Perumbalam
Perumbalam is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. India census, had a population of 9678 with 4711 males and 4967 females.-References:...
in 2003, an Island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Alleppy in association with a regional arts community. The festival initiated with the film No Mans Land, featuring the war in between Bosnia and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The festival featured 16 films including short films and documentaries.
The fourth film festival theme was War & Peace, conducted at Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
in 2005 May. The film festival was dedicated to Twelve-year-old Ali Ismail Abbas
Ali Ismail Abbas
Ali Ismail Abbas is an Iraqi man who was severely injured in a nighttime rocket attack near Baghdad during the United States' 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Injury:...
of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
who suffered 60% burns in the attack which destroyed his Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
home and killed his family. Ali lost two hands and legs in the Second Gulf War. The inaugural film was Khantahar by Mohesin Makmalbaf. The festival also featured the documentary Godse.
In 2005, Chalana conducted Touring Talkies - Film festival along with Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy is an autonomous non-profit institution working under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. It was founded in August 1998 for the promotion of cinema in Kerala, considering the fact that cinema is the most popular art form in Kerala...
at Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha
Muvattupuzha is a municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a junction of three districts namely Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town...
. The festival featured 18 films and exhibited the 100 years of Malayalam and Indian Cinema.
In 2009 Chalana, the non-profit society merged with Syne Foundation, a non-profit organization under Syne Group headed by Ginu George. The Film Festival is renamed as Syne International Film Festival (SIFF) and the new festival is scheduled for 2011 May