Poland film festival pays tribute to Smita Patil

A Poland film festival, organized by the Polish Film Institute and the Indian embassy in Warsaw, paid rich tributes to the legendary late actress Smita Patil. Smita Patil, who was regarded as ‘the queen of parallel cinema’ in India during mid-70s to 80s, died in 1986 when she was only 31. In the memory of the powerful actress, the festival organizers screened Smita's famous films likeBhumika, Manthan, Mirch Masala, SadgatiandUmbrattaunder theSmita Patil Retrospect segment. The programme coincided with the festival of '100 Years of Indian Cinema Week'. "We in Poland are attuned to Bollywood movies such asKabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, orZindgi Nahin Milegi Dobaraamong others.

Now we realise the importance of Indian parallel cinema movement in the last twenty five years of the 20th century," said Jacek Bromski, President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers. Smita's sister Manya Patil, who is the President of Smita Patil Foundation, came especially for these two occasions.