OK, so it turns out I am not the only one who feels an indescribable bond between my beloved hometown Firenze and my dream destination India. Sir Salman Rushdie took the concept to the maximum by writing his exciting latest novel – “The Enchantress of Florence” – about an imaginary connection between Akbar the Great of Mughal India and Niccolò Machiavelli & Co. in Renaissance Florence. And then there is Selvaggia Velo, who a few years ago started the River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, bringing Indian cinema from the land of the Ganges to the shores of the Arno. In its eighth year, the festival is her personal labor of love, born out of a deep passion for film and the culture of India.

In her own words, Ms. Velo describes how the festival came to be and what she hopes to achieve with it: “I started River to River because I liked India and cinema and in 2001 – when the first edition took place – there were no other festivals in the world totally devoted to Indian cinema. My passion started slowly. I knew the classics, like Ray  and Ghatak, but not much more. Then I started this festival and began going to India, specifically Bombay and my passion grew quickly! I want the festival to become THE place in Europe where to see Indian independent films, but also be a market for those films to be more widely distributed.” 

Held in the historic Odeon cinema hall, as part of the “50 Days of International Cinema in Florence”, this year the week-long festival runs from December 5th through the 11th. It is slated to bring its audiences some of the best movies and documentaries of 2008, along with live Q & A sessions with a few of the most brilliant filmmakers of modern Indian cinema. And it completes the mix with a little nostalgia – in the form of a three-film tribute to the great Raj Kapoor, often described as the Indian Charlie Chaplin. I typically shy away from such comparisons but have to admit that I see in Raj Kapoor a very unique, charming and charismatic man whose parallel with Chaplin lay in his ability to wear multiple hats, as an actor, director and producer. This will be a rare opportunity to view such classics as “Shree 420″ and the later “Bobby”, starring his son Rishi Kapoor, on the big screen where they belong.

But the real strength of the festival lies in personal appearances by such great modern filmmakers as Richie Mehta of festival favorite and MIAAC Best Film Award recipient “Amal”, as well as Sarab S. Neelam speaking about his debut feature “Ocean of Pearls”, Shashank Ghosh introducing his latest film “Quick Gun Murugan” and director Nishikant Kamat introducing his ode to the Bombay train blasts of July 11th, 2006 “Mumbai Meri Jaan”, a film that hits eerily close to home these days, after the horrors that took place in that city. A chance to come this close to such diverse and wonderful talent only comes once in a very, very long while. And the setting could not be any more beautiful for these filmmakers to begin healing the world of this latest evil in Bombay, one movie-goer at a time .

While in Florence, I suggest staying at a hotel in the Centro, near the Piazza Strozzi where the festival venue is located. One can make of this sojourn a positively lavish and elegant affair. I mean, right on the Piazza is the historic and 5-star old charm of the Hotel Helvetia & Bristol - where I did find myself having drinks elbow to elbow with Tom Ford on a warm, spring afternoon when he was designing for Gucci. For something a bit more conservative in price, right across the Piazza della Repubblica, just a block away from Cinema Odeon, is more minimalist and recently renovated 4-star Strozzi Palace Hotel. 

And finally, I’ll gladly pass on a bit of insider’s info about where to shop and what to eat while you find yourself in my city to view the festival. When in Florence, I always drop by Quercioli & Lucherini for some wonderfully luxurious intimates and Gerard Loft for the coolest and latest in trendy clothes. For food, I go from the sublime and pricey Cantinetta Antinori - for some Marchese Antinori wines and their delicious Vitel Tonnè dish – right to the local and very uncomplicated Mercato Centrale. There you can stock up on pecorino cheese, classic Chianti wines and focaccia – a white, pizza-like bread sprinkled with coarse salt and rosemary – for a fantastic feast to be had right in your hotel room.