If the only Spanish film-maker you have heard of is Almodovar (or not even him) then this new festival in Delhi will be both a treat and an education for us philistines. A Spanish Film Festival is underway as i write this at the Stein Audiotrium (India Habitat Centre) and on the 10th at the Siri Fort Auditorium.
Last week, for her birthday I treated my wife to Volver, the latest film from director Almodovar and screen goddess Penelope Cruz which was being shown at the India International Centre. We had a great time as the Spanish flair for raw emotions, melodrama, strong female characters (all the men play very minor roles in his films) and a wonderful blend of harsh realism, comedy, tragedy and surrealism.
This new festival promises even more juicy offerings including Pan’s Labyrinth (a must see), a film by Antonio Banderas (yes, the Desperado and Zorro hunk) and a host of directors I have never heard of. I will be going to as many as I can and if you happen to be in Delhi, I highly recommend a look see. Especially as its all free.
For a designer or advertising creative, India is a pretty exciting place to be right now. Rapid commercial growth has prompted an unprecedented client demand for design and advertising skills, while those creating the work find themselves in the exhilarating position of being able to shape and redefine India’s new identity, both within the country and internationally. All this change has occurred rapidly, however, at a pace that is perhaps too fast for an industry, in graphic design at least, that is still finding its feet. Design is still often misunderstood as a profession, and with a dearth of decent design schools in the country, graduates are finding that they often receive their real education on the job, a position that stretches already overloaded designers even thinner. The bounteous amount of work has also led the lines between advertising and design to blur, with ad agencies, which are far more established and recognised within the country, tackling aspects of assignments more traditionally found within the design domain. And, of course, overseas networks and companies are also edging in, keen to pick up a slice of the action.