FICCI FLO Film Festival, Report, I: FLO Mo

Known for organising India’s biggest three-day Media and Entertainment conclave in March every year, FRAMES, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) held its first film festival in the city of Mumbai, during February 18-20, a fortnight after the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) and six weeks before FRAMES. It was organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation, FLO. Unfortunately, due to a host of reasons, FICCI FLO Film Festival (FFFF) failed to attract audiences.

I learnt about FFFF from Rashmi Lamba, who managed The Hub (interactive round-table groups on documentary and short films) at MIFF and has been managing the Film Bazaar at Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI)’s Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) too. FLO had appointed her the Creative Director of the festival. I also chanced to meet Devyani Padode, a publisher and the Chairperson of the Mumbai Chapter of FLO. They told me that this was a women’s festival, showcasing works of women film-makers and/or women protagonists. The credo was Reel Women Power. Sounded interesting, and I agreed to attend it, as well as write about it.

Rashmi wanted me to write about the Hub too. I went to the MIFF Hub twice, but she was not available. Later, I asked her to send me an overview of what transpired at the Hub, and based on that information, I would then work-out my piece. Nothing came. FFFF was variously reported as an event to be held during 15-20 February/17-20 February/18-20 February. On their website, I learnt that 15 and 16 February were workshop days and 17^th was a Symposium.

Three workshops were lined-up at the Films Division premises, which is where MIFF was held. There was no mention of the venue on the FFFF website for the Global Symposium, which was presented by the Geena Davis (Oscar winning actress) Institute on Gender in Media, the second to be held outside the US. Entry was to be ‘By Invitation Only. The Symposium was sponsored by ITVS, the largest Independent Television Service in USA. Film shows were confined to three days, 18-20 February.

No press conference was held, to the best of my knowledge. All my attempts to register as a media-person proved futile, for a week at least. Even after registration, no invitation was received, to visit any of the workshops, or to attend the symposium. Though I was accredited at the Government of India’s Make in India national mega-event, that clashed head-on with FFFF, being spread over 14-18 February, I would have still found time to go to the film screenings, cinema being a greater attraction for me than sessions on industrial progress.

Yes, I do regret not going down to Pedder Road on Thursday, the 18^th, afternoon, after the 4 ½ day (public access) Make in India closed its doors, but I was just too tired to travel the 15 km distance. So, my first visit to the campus of the Films Division (FD) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, to join the FLO, was on Friday afternoon. I was guided by Rashmi to the media registration desk, where Priyanka Das gave me a wristband, identifying me as a person from the Press. She also gave me paper carry bag, with the catalogue and the schedule inside. There were few people around, and I did not spot a single journalist over the next day-and-a-half. Shows flagged off at the inauguration the previous day, with lunch following, the three venues—J.B. Hall and RRIII theatre in the FD premises, and the nearby Russian Culture Centre—had sparse attendance on Friday. Not really a FLO, more like Slo Mo.