Nine-day long 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded in Goa on Sunday with the international premiere of veteran Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi’s film Perfect Number.
According to the makers, Perfect Number searches for philosophical answers in the mathematical theories of quantum physics and calculus to push the limits of physics. The film is about a young Mathematician who meets his wealthy long-lost cousin, and this meeting changes their lives in various ways.
Speaking at IFFI, Zanussi said, “This film tries to signal that there are problems which are not necessarily linked to the material world.”
“There may be other realities beyond the material world, and science is not denying it anymore. We have quantum physics which realises that the Newton-era is over and all these things which were so certain in the 19th century are not certain anymore,” he added.
Talking about the inspiration behind making the movie, Zanussi said, “It is inspired by a real person. There is a mathematician in St Petersburg, Russian-Jewish who got an award of 1 million dollars. He sends back the cheque, saying it is distracting and he doesn't want to be distracted.”
“So, I think, it is quite remarkable nowadays that after centuries of running after money, maybe now, humanity is getting mature to understand that possessing money is not essential, and we have other problems which are probably more important and interesting,” he further said.
Responding to a question about the contradiction between faith and science, which is the main theme of Perfect Number, the filmmaker said, “This question is open. We will never know for sure until we die if there is something after or not. I hope there is. That's hope and faith.”
Speaking about progress and constant changes in its definition, he said, “We have to find a new definition of progress or new goals of humanity at least to survive because our existence on this planet is challenged because of ecological catastrophe that we are provoking and because of the weapons that we have created. And these weapons may be the tools of self-destruction.”
Zanussi observed, “Human beings are self-destructive, unlike other animals. So, this is something that bothers me a lot. And probably this is what I tried to put in the film. My concern about the future of the world is what to do to be sure that humanity will grow.”
Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Singh Thakur, MoS for information and broadcasting L. Murugan and Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant were present at the closing ceremony of the film festival.
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and Telugu star Chiranjeevi also attended the closing ceremony.
