Kolkata, Apr 30 (IANS): Kolkata witnessed a unique mobile cinema project christened "Rick-Show" presented by French producer, Le Gentil Garcon alias The Nice Guy.
The idea is to carry a screen projector and speaker on a three-wheeler for screening French movies in public places. The event is being organised by Alliance Française, an organisation promoting French culture globally, in partnership with Apeejay Surrendra Group and Apeejay Real Estate as the venue partner.
The Rick-Show project has been developed in partnership with the Department of Design of the College of Architecture Trivandrum (CAT). The venue of the three-day event is Park Mansions, an iconic heritage building in Park Street.
In this project, one can witness mobile cinema on a rickshaw that fits within a box. The name of the project is such because it brings cinema to people on an auto-rickshaw.
The organisers also claimed that through this project, they desire to showcase contemporary art films to communities that have little access to artworks in India like remote regions and underprivileged communities among others. There is also the idea of reaching out to a wider audience in the public space through a permanent but mobile artwork capable of touching the heart of Indians both through its medium and its contents.
According to Alliance Française director, Nicolas Facino, Rick-show has been organised as part of the fifth event of Bonjour India at the Park Mansions, which has become the European Cultural Hub in Kolkata. "We aim to bring a mélange of heritage identity and French ambiance to the heart of the city. The event started from April 29, 2022 and will continue till May 1, 2022," Facino said.
He said that going forward, if the concept gains popularity, then Kolkata may witness many more screenings of cinema on the move. "Kolkata is a movie buff's paradise
According to Shouvik Mandal, chief executive officer of Apeejay Real Estate, he hopes to see more such collaborations with Alliance Française in future. "The magnificence of Park Mansions, a historic edifice in the heart of Park Street is ideal for hosting an event like Rick-show dedicated to the fans of the world of cinema. The Courtyard of Park Mansions is the perfect location for this mobile cinema concept, replete with pop-up seating," he said.