Day 313 : Elle Tournent Dames Draaien Brussels International Female Film Festival! (Day 3)

Thus, after sleeping since 4pm yesterday, we woke up to the day of the screening!

Again, after breakfast at 7am at the hotel, we got dressed and caught a taxi to go for a brunch organized by the festival. The brunch was at the house of two of the festival’s organizers and it was in one of those multistory row houses that is so typical of Brussels. At the brunch, we met several other film makers, all the organizers of the festival and also super talented Indian actress Shahana Goswami who was representing one of her films from Bangladesh. It was a great experience to talk to all of the different film makers about the making of their films, the themes, their lives as film makers and what not, all done over an amazing array of incredible food. Then I got the surprise of my life when one of the key organizers came up to me and whispered that she thought our film was the best of the festival! She told me how much she loved the film and how it stays with for a long while even after watching it. Another organizer told me how they had long discussions about the film after they watched it the first time. It was all so overwhelming, especially since I was wondering how an European audience would have reacted to the film. Of course, I knew they would have liked it because otherwise I wouldn’t find myself in Brussels like this, but I didn’t realize the depth to which they had liked the film. I felt on top of the world and wished that the rest of the audience would appreciate it too. Post the brunch all of us took one big group photo in the backyard, which by the way, housed two chickens, much to our amusement!

With the other film makers and festival organisers

Belgian Chickens!

 Post the brunch, the husband and I went and bought ourselves a new travel luggage because one of ours had broken over the flight here. After picking up the new one, we went back to the hotel to drop it and immediately started out again to grab lunch before the screening, which was scheduled at 5pm.

We went straight to the area near Cinema Vendome, the venue for our screening, and realized that it was the African part of the town. All the shops around were selling African groceries, African clothes, African accessories and what not! It was very, very fascinating! We walked around, did a bit of shopping, picked up some middle eastern lunch again and then made our way to the venue.

Cinema Vendome, screening venue 

 We reached just in time for the Q&A session of the previous movie which was a documentary about mothers of jihadists in Brussels. We had not watched the film but I saw a Kurd film maker, who was in the audience, crying heavily. She later talked of her experience – about losing a loved one to a terrorist attack during a peace protest in Turkey. It was my first up close experience with someone who has been through such a harrowing experience that I am only familiar with via media. It was disturbing but also very humbling. I sent out a million prayers in gratitude for all that I have.

There was a short gap between the next screening, which was my film. My husband and I picked up some popcorn (the husband was VERY excited about the popcorn) and drinks and settled ourselves comfortably. I wasn’t sure how many people would turn for our film and quite amused to see that we had almost a packed house!

And then it happened. One of the most beautiful experiences ever!

The screening went on smoothly and I could judge the audience’s positive reactions throughout. There were many smiles and good natured laughs and a great applause at the end.

During the Q&A, I was asked so many interesting questions! A guy asked “Do men in India not express their feelings openly to their spouses?” (to which one lady answered “that’s a common thing everywhere, universal truth, not only in India!”)… another asked about how I got the actors to look at each other so intensely, intimately, another asked what would be the tip I would give to someone who wants to make low budget films, another asked whether the actors have been through such experiences before and is that why they are looking so realistic on stage, another asked if I were a psychologist because everything in the film and everything I say sounded so right (this one really cracked me up!) and so many more! At one point in time, someone asked me whether I was endorsing leaving your love for the sake of your parents, and I said,  “No. That was only a backstory. What the message is that no matter what the past has been… we still have the ability to fix the present and be happy with it. The message is that as long as you communicate to your spouse openly, there would be a lot of love.” And then I saw a couple in the front row… the man held the lady’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze and smiled and she in turn, smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. It was probably the most defining moment of the whole night for me. It was SO beautiful!

Getting questions translated during Q&A. 

 

With the lovely audience. Unfortunately many had left before we could take this pic, thanks to the loooong Q&A. 

We had such a long Q&A session and it was all the more interesting because it was all done with help of a translator. They would ask questions in French which would be immediately translated to me and then my English answers would be translated back in French for them. Post the Q&A too, so many people came up to me  and continued to talk about the film. They asked if there would be more screenings because they wanted to bring their partners / children / friends etc. to come and watch. One told me that if her husband had been anything like what’s said in the film, she wouldn’t have had to get a divorce! They told me my film is like French Cinema. They told me it is poetic. And everyone told me there is so much “heart” in it… or something similar because there is no English direct translation to that word in French. I was hugged, and even kissed because people were so happy!

And then the husband, who also watched the film on the big screen for the first time, said, “I am so proud of you.”

 

All smiles post the screening!

Needless to say, I was on cloud nine. Or higher, if there is one. All this is SUCH  a blessing.

After I talked and exchanged contacts with a lot of people, the husband and I decided to make the most of the rest of the evening by taking a walk through city centre and Grand Place at night. One of the translators recommended a certain route because “it’s the most beautiful part of the town”. And she was SO right. It was indeed the most beautiful part of the town! We walked around for a long time with wide eyed wonder, discovering one pretty sight after another.

Brussels at night

Brussels at night

We had dinner, again with a magnificent view to go along and then by the time we walked back to our hotel, we were sad to leave but happy to have been here.

What a day! 

187 more to go.