Screening of French films begins

This autumn’s series of French films began last week with a screening in the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

The screenings are being organised by Alliance Francaise d’Islamabad in cooperation with the French embassy.

Last week’s offering was the 1965 film Pierrot le Fou (The Madman) by Jean-Luc Godard, featuring Jean-Paul Belmond and Anna Karina. Mr Bhatti described the movie as a fun film that at the same time shows aspects of the careless and experimental time of the 1960s.

Pierrot escapes his boring, regular life in Paris and travels to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianna, a woman chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.

“I felt quite nostalgic when I saw the film,” said a European guest. “The film was indeed very French, or European. It is more human and maybe simpler than the well-scripted American films, making them more honest,” she added.

A Pakistani guest said: “This was a light film, very entertaining and relaxing to watch. It was well restored and upgraded from the original. The colours were beautiful. I only felt sorry that the main female character was shot before the film was over. But I suppose they just had to put an end to the almost two hour long story.”

“I have taken note to the Alliance Francaise director saying that the films will be shown on the third Wednesday of the month, just like in France, where new films used to be premiered on Wednesdays,” said a French guest.

Turkey Victory Day celebrated

Turkish Ambassador Mustafa Yurdakul hosted a large reception to celebrate Turkish Victory Day, also known as Armed Forces Day, on Aug 30.

The day is celebrated in memory of the Battle of Dumlupinar. It was decisive in the Turkish War of Independence in 1922, ending the Ottoman Empire and occupation of Anatolia by the allied forces after World War I.

The day also honours the founder of modern Turkey, Gen Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He became the first elected president of the Republic of Turkey proclaimed on 23 Oct, 1923, in the new capital of Ankara.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen M. Mazari was invited as the chief guest. She was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

In his speech, Ambassador Yurdakul, who is relatively new to Pakistan, drew attention to the good relations between Turkey and Pakistan. He read a message by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the occasion that drew attention to Turkey’s recent elections as well as the history of the land.

Ambassador Yurdakul said the word ‘relationship’ is too modest to cover the bond between Turkey and Pakistan, drawing attention to a multitude of specific cooperation links between the countries in trade, culture, social affairs and defence.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2018