From the archives

Recognizing the need to turn to cinema and the arts for some inspiration in these trying times, the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) started the Viewing Room as early as March 31. The specially curated alumni films are changed once in two weeks, almost like a regular theatre. "As India went under lockdown, we were wondering what we could do as a film festival to contribute something positive. The idea of a virtual screening room where we could show films from past editions of DIFF for free seemed like a good thing to do," says festival director Ritu Sarin. Currently screening are films like Yoshinori Sato's 2017 drama, Her Mother that deals with punishment and a mother coming to terms with her daughter's murder, and Jallikattu by Lijo Jose Pellissery, the acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker. Among two interesting documentaries are Abhay Kumar's Placebo, which documents high-pressure academics and student violence in one of India's premier institutions through found footage, animation and special effects, and Pushpa Rawat's Nirnay, which is on the lives of a group of women from Ghaziabad.