I Fly Nonstop » film

Sunsets Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:55:22 +0000

After 23 successful years, the Sunsets Film Festival has become a true open-air institution in Amsterdam. The backdrop of the Vondelpark, complete with creeping shadows and a cool summer breeze, provides the perfect setting to sit back and enjoy film classics on a giant screen. For two months, film classics are screened every Friday night. And as the screenings take place on the Vondelpark pavilion terrace and are a collaboration of the EYE Film Institute with café/restaurant Vertigo, this ultimate summer evening experience even comes with a cold drink in hand.

Ancient Arts of India

Jamie Kerr — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:56 +0000

The traditions of India touch our lives in many different ways. Whether we take in the rich, warm smell of tikki masala curry when we walk past an Indian restaurant, relax after work with yoga, use virtually any spice in cooking, or enjoy a good Bollywood film every now and then, India is a place with a rich, magnificent culture, influence and history. We may even have India to thank for the discovery of the US, because without India, Columbus never would have set sail.

Well, we’re in luck. India might be on the other side of the globe, but PDX offers flights that take travelers in one of the most direct routes possible. Delta Air Lines offers flights through the Amsterdam gateway to Mumbai, India. While in India, take advantage of the opportunity to learn about some of the country’s most interesting cultural contributions.

Yoga

While yoga has evolved in the US to include styles like aerobic yoga and even aquatic yoga, the practice traces it origins back to ancient India. Yoga is more than just a series of poses, it is a complete spiritual, mental and physical exercise. Yogis across the world find their center through the meditative practices of yoga. Today, yoga is associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, but people across all denominations enjoy the descipline’s physical, mental and spiritual benefits. While in Mumbai, be sure to visit a yoga studio and meet some true life yogis to see what traditional yoga is all about. Namaste.

Indian Cuisine

If you’ve ever had traditional Indian food, you know that the cuisine is much different from any other Asian dining experience. Characterized by its diverse spices and flavors, Indian food is gaining popularity across the world. Spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander and curry are common flavors that are used in Indian dishes. Indian food is incredibly diverse, and each region in India claims its own style and flavor of traditional dishes. In Mumbai, a bite-size delicacy called panipuri is a popular snack. Don’t leave Mumbai without sampling the diverse cuisine of the Maharashtra region, or taking a cooking class!

Bollywood

Bollywood is the name given to the culturally unique film-industry based in Mumbai, and is one of the largest film-producers in the world. The name is derived from a combination between Mumbai’s former name, Bombay, and Hollywood. Bollywood films are inspired by cultural aspects of Hollywood movies as well as traditional Indian culture, theater, music and dance. Most Bollywood films have musical elements, where characters sing and dance in a way that is unique to the Bollywood film industry. When in Mumbai, check out a masala film (literally meaning mixture of spices), which is usually about 3 hours long (with intermission) and includes comedy, tragedy, action and romance.

Photo Credit: Masala Dab ba, jo-h; Yoga Journal Conference, Lululemon Athletica; It ain’t Bollywood without a little song and dance, tajai

Wallenfestival

Jamie Kerr — Sat, 28 May 2011 19:22:33 +0000

The Wallenfestival (‘De Wallen’ is the Dutch term for Amsterdam’s red light district) offers a large range of activities: there’s theatre, dance and (open-air) music performances, film screenings, a street parade and a Celtic market. This event takes place September 11-12, 2011.

Tokyo International Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Sat, 28 May 2011 19:20:36 +0000

One of the world’s twelve largest international film festivals and Japan’s only officially approved international film festival takes place in Roppongi Hills October 22-30, 2011.

West Beach Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Sat, 28 May 2011 18:49:52 +0000

From 27 August to 18 September 2010, head to Amsterdam’s Sloterplas to catch films outside on sultry Amsterdam evenings. And it’s all free! For four weekends, the open-air cinema will be installed close to the Sloterparkbad swimming pool in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Learn more about the event here.

Tokyo International Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:30:59 +0000

This year marks the 23rd edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). As the only Japanese film festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), TIFF has played an integral role in Japan’s film industry and cultural scene since its establishment in 1985. TIFF aspires to be recognized as one of the four major film festivals in the world and in the same league as Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, which now stand at the summit of the world’s more than 2,600 international film celebrations.

Sunsets Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:13:33 +0000

After 22 successful years, the Sunsets Film Festival is an open-air institution in Amsterdam. The backdrop of the Vondelpark, complete with creeping shadows and a cool summer breeze, provides the perfect setting to sit back and enjoy film classics on a giant screen.

Tokyo International Anime Fair

Jamie Kerr — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:06:37 +0000

The world’s largest anime exhibition with booth exhibits, spectacular stage performances, theater movie showings and the “Tokyo Anime Awards”. Learn more about the event here.

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

Jamie Kerr — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:16:53 +0000

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is a ten-day festival in Amsterdam’s city center during which more than 250 creative documentaries are shown every year.

The IDFA is unique on account of its international range, its great variety of genres, its politically engaged program and the many European and world premieres that are presented each year. Beautiful, provocative, confronting, touching, poetic or informative: IDFA’s documentaries always get people talking. So it’s not surprising that after-parties, talk shows and debates are important parts of the festival.

IDFA is the meeting point of art, film, debate and social issues.

Klik! Amsterdam Film Festival

Jamie Kerr — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:46:10 +0000

Celebrating its 15th year, KLIK! has received more than 230 animated films from 26 different countries from all over the world. Besides a student competition and an open competition, KLIK! will screen the most memorable and impressive recent animated films of the past year in the panorama-programmes.