Gulzar, Shabana Azmi to attend Gurgaon's first film-lit festival

GURGAON: Noted lyricist and poet Gulzar and actress-activist Shabana Azmi will attend the first SBI Card Gurgaon International Film and Literature Festival (GIFLIF) to discuss the unique synthesis of literature and audio visual art.
The three-day festival will take place from December 4 to 6. Organisers said all efforts are being made to make the event memorable.
Gulzar will attend the festival on the first day, and will take part in a session titled 'The Poet's Song', followed by an appearance at the kavi sammelan in the evening, while Azmi will attend a session on Day 2 titled 'Art and Gender'.
The event is split into three sections, 'Lights', 'Camera' and 'Action'. Each of the days will have different themes - 'Filmy Baatein', 'Paradigm Shift' and 'Subaltern Culture'. The daily kavi sammelans aside, there will be post-sundown gatherings of poetry (both 'slam' and regular) to regale the audience. Side by side, There will be book readings and book launches also. Among the authors who will be reading from their books are Dave Besseling ('The Liquid Refuses to Ignite') and Lt. Col. Rohit Agarwal ('Riding the Raisina Tiger').
Sessions will be scheduled from midday to 6pm to be followed by film screenings. from 6pm to 9pm. More than 60 luminaries are expected to attend the festival., and not only from the worlds of cinema and literature. The corporate sector too will be represented, as will politics and activism.
Meanwhile, contests for slam poetry and poetry will begin on November 20, and on the basis of these 'matches', the best versifiers will get the opportunity to perform at the GIFLIF. On the last day, at the awards night, the best of the 52 shortlisted films will be fêted.
Registrations for the festival open from November 5. Entry will be free, and on a first-come, first-served basis (visit www.giflif.in to sign in).