1. We need to understand the filmmaker through his idioms
that s/he uses in the film.” One of the contemporary
legends in the Indian cinema, Girish Kasaravalli is the venerable
film maker that most of the film enthusiasts look up to. He was
talking about My Idioms and My Perspectives of film making in
the lecture conducted in Mascot Hotel as a part of Master Class.
“Colour is the element that makes the composition rich. For each
work, the director has to link the film with a unique colour which
will stay throughout the film. While doing a film, the filmmaker
should be aware of the colour scheme that suits it”. Analysing
his own film Mane (1990), he discussed the factors of a film
that influence the perception of audience, like sound, light and
composition.
Three decades in the field of cinema, and having an
envious track record in film making, Girish Kasaravalli bagged
the National Award for the best feature film four times. Rituals,
ceremonies, legitimization games,
legal procedures and codes
of communication, and
social conduct have
their own place in his
films. Kasaravalli’s
films put emphasis
on socio-religious
institutionsandtheir
laws. He focusses
on the matters of
justice and its many
conflicting definitions that seek to pin down its meaning on
all, while having their focal points on the effects that these
questions have on the social standing of women. In his talk, he
compared the directional aspects of renowned directors like
Flaherty, Eisenstein, Paul Cox, Bresson and their perceptions
on cinematic idioms.
While talking about the impact of digitalization in film
industry, he said that the evolution of digital technology
helps in creating idioms. He made a comparative status of
film before and after the evolution of digital technology.
His first feature film Ghatashraddha (1977), which won
the Golden Lotus Award, paved the way for the emergence
of new ideologist films that centred on social and women
issues like Tabarana Kathe (1986), Thaayi Saheba (1997) ,
Dweepa(2002);each also bagged the Golden Lotus Awards.
His successful innings in his film career was added by
Padma Sri, the fourth highest civilian award given by
the Govt of India. Born in Kesalur, a village in the
Shimoga district in Karnataka, he completed his
film education winning gold medal from Film and
Television institute, Pune.
Amala T Chacko |
“
Seasoned
Perspectives
On Cinematic
Idioms
2. Digital craze' is ruling the system of
plastic post-modern world. Jean Luc
Godard believes that digital will become
the dictator of future cinema diminishing
its aesthetic spirit (3X3d). Kaushik
Ganguly, an eminent Bengali director,
national award winner for his critical
feature films Sabdo (2013) and Chotoder
Chobi (2014) on social issues, hopefully
commented on thrust of celluloid that
'today after having embraced the digital
medium completely, memories of
celluloid filmmaking still refuse to fade
away.'
Kaushik's latest film Cinema wallah
is in 'Indian Cinema Now' section of IFFK
2015. The movie revolves around a sad
state of single-screen theatres in the
country and in the context of a father-
son relationship set against the backdrop
of cinema. In a small town in West
Bengal, a retired film exhibitor, Pranab
runs a traditional cinema of single-
screen, namely Kamalini. He has always
maintained himself a pure 'Cinemawala'.
By the time advanced digital technology
arrived in the city, it gradually gets spread
over the towns. Digital is threatening his
business and theatre, which can screen
only 35 mm prints. Contrary to Pranab's
true spirit regarding the medium, his son,
Prakash is an opportunist and greedy,
who makes a living selling pirated DVDs
of feature films in the town. The movie is
woven around the father-son division by
the social dilemmas of today's aggressive
digital-encroachment over the globe.
Both the father and the son are marketing
films for viewers and for picking their
lives, but each in his own way. Cinema
wallah won the ICFT and UNESCO Juries'
Fellini Medal.
'
Prabash Mukhopadhyay |
Iranian Cinema always has the rare ability
to touch our heart without falling into
the trap of superficial melodrama. Ida
Panahandeh's Nahid yet again proves this
legacy of great masters of Iranian cinema
as safe in the hands of younger generation
filmmakers. Nahid is a brave attempt from
a young directress to capture the internal
conflicts and emotional turbulence faced
by a young divorcee. She was a victim of
early marriage who got separated from
her young but wayward husband who
left their 10 year old son with her. Nahid
found it hard to make both ends meet. But
somehow she manages to survive with her
frugality and prudence. Her son does not
come up to her expectations. He spends his
school time with goons and street thugs.
Her former husband makes regular visits
to her, hoping that they would unite in the
future. But Nahid was wooed by her rich but
widower employer, with whom she made
temporary marriage settlement. Knowing
this, her former husband took the boy with
him, dashing Nahid into great sorrow. Her
brother's attempts for reconciliations failed.
A tussle between Nahid and Muhammed,
her former husband, left a wound on her
palm. Her son later joins her. The film ends
when Masood joined the lonely Nahid at
the seashore.
The film reminds us, once again, of
the difficulty society has while judging
the inner landscape of a lonely woman.
The recurring long shot of the turbulent
sea metaphorically depicts the emotional
turmoilofNahid.Themeticulousmovement
of the camera, with its gorgeous long takes,
add to the beauty of the visual experience.
The outstanding performance by the artists,
especially Sareh Bayat, make the movie a
wonderful experience.
Turbulences
Unfurled
Feminine
Shibu Harisree |
Digital Threats
To True Spirit
Of Cinema
2
3. Often referred to as the ‘grand old
man of theatre’, the national award
winning director MS Sathyu is a mentor
film aspirants can look up on. The
octogenarian sits high on the empire
he created in Indian cinema with no
intention in retiring any time soon. In
an exclusive interview given to Daily
Bulletin, the multifaceted maestro opens
up about cinema and theatre.
Thoughts on 20th IFFK 2015
IFFK is one of the most happening film
festivals in India. A lot of people are
basically fed up of seeing mediocre
Television serials in satellite channels.
The poor quality of mainstream movies,
which are nothing but repetitive, also
doesn’t satisfy the audience and they
wish to see something different. That is
why Film Festivals in India are growing
in popularity. Now, when conducting
Film Festivals have become a fashion
statement, comparing the other similar
fests happening in Pune, Kolkatta,
Bengaluru and so on, IFFK always stands
one step above. Accommodating a record
of more than 12,000 delegates itself is a
proof.
Mutuality between cinema and
theatre
I would say that Indian cinema grew out
of theatre. The format of our Cinema
is still highly influenced by Parsi-Urdu
and old Sanskrit theatre. Even today the
acting and directional style of cinema
is theatrical and highly melodramatic,
like a stage drama played in front of a
camera. The status of theatre in India is
disappointing. But in certain states like
Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and
even in Delhi, theatre is very active. At
the same time, in states like Kerala and
Bengal, which boasts of rich film culture,
the presence of quality theatre is near to
nothing. But many other artistic initiatives
in Kerala, like ‘Biennale’ happening in
Kochi, give new hope.
Views on contemporary world
movies
There are a lot of new types of films
coming out from various countries. The
technological advancements in the past
decade have helped the quality and
audiencereachofmoviesalot.Apartfrom
mainstream movies, these advancements
have helped independent and student’s
initiative films, which are highly creative,
to establish a decent market also. And
this is a global phenomenon. But the
problem with Indian audience is that we
are not exposed to European, African,
Asian and Latin American films as
regularly as American films. An American
director has not found a new way to
thrill the audience in the past 50 years
other than racing, chasing and crashing
of cars. Nothing new is offered there.
IFFK, by screening films from Asia, Africa
and European countries, is opening new
vistas before the audience.
Influence of contemporary world
movies over Indian cinemas
To an extent, yes; but this influence is
not uniform. Compared to the other
industries here, Malayalam film industry
is pioneer in introducing new concepts
into their movies. Such influences and
advancements are visible in Odiya,
Assamese, Manipuri and other movies
produced from the East, as well. I saw two
Malayalam movies in this IFFK and both
of them were nothing short of brilliant.
Jayasree C |
Indian Cinema
Rises From
The Stage
08th
December 20153
4. meetTHEPress
Is there something like
an Asian film aesthetic?
Or, is cinema a universal
medium with a universal
languagethatisaccessibleand enjoyable
to all? Obviously, like different forms of
theatre or music or painting, cinema
too have regional forms and avatars
of its own. In the case of narrative
styles, composition, storytelling,
characterization, dramatics etc, each
culture consciously or unconsciously
follow their own storytelling traditions,
visual idioms and performative styles.
The narrative preoccupations of
different countries too differ depending
on the sociopolitical conditions, level
of permissiveness and other ethnic/
religious exigencies. For instance, Iranian
cinema necessarily has a unique way of
representing women vis a vis European
films; the characters from Nordic
region have a worldview that seems
to pervade the mood of their films;
likewise the compositions of an Ozu is
totally different from that of a Fellini
or Antonioni; the sexual promiscuity of
many European films are unimaginable
in many other countries. The European
audience, even many French New Wave
masters, couldn’t sit through Ray’s
Pather Panchali when it was shown
there: they found its narrative world and
visual idiom totally alien or archaic.
Ifonecouldmakeoutthelanguageor
country from where the film originated
from their very look and feel that says
something about locality and cultural
specificity. Every film is inscribed with
many indelible and unavoidable markers
of culture, like landscapes, costumes,
cityscapes, architecture, language, flora
and fauna, human behavior etc. For
instance, one could instantly make out a
Korean, Iranian or European film, from
all of some of these. But the layers of
difference could run more deep and
pervasive. One marked reason for the
resurgence during the last decades
of Asian cinema, especially from
‘small’ countries like Thailand, Taiwan,
Koreas, Vietnam, Hong Kong etc, in
the international film festival circuit,
could be due to this. Through some
remarkable filmmakers with distinctive
style and vision, these cinemas have
been able to acquire a character of
their own. Filmmakers like Apichatpong
Weerasethakul and Tsai Ming-Liang
have captured the attention of cineastes
and film festivals all over the world
through films that have a unique pace,
tenor, visual feel and temper of their
own. Totally devoid of conventional
narrative crutches, they demand from
the audience an intense attention and
meditative abandon. Most significantly,
their films are not mere personal
experimentations, but narratives
that bring into their layering searing
political questions, both historical and
contemporary. This is what makes them
simultaneously very local and universal.
venkitycs@gmail.com
Asian CocktailsCS Venkiteswaran |
Independent film makers do not design
movies to entertain the mass, nor they
make classy movies “, says Bauddhayan
Mukherji, director of the film The Violin
Player. He was speaking in the press
meet here in IFFK 2015. Independent
film makers are making movies about
the marginalised people, which are
not well accepted by the mainstream
films. Over the last ten years India has
been promulgating independent film making. Festivals like IFFK play a catalytic role
in promoting parallel cinema. Different mode of revenue has to be generated for
the independent films, only when it is void of Bollywood masala. Other Indian states
should try to adopt the successful model of resurrecting Marathi films. A film maker
should not just confine to the duties of a story teller, but should look beyond other
titles in order to market his film. Political movies should definitely be made, but it
should emanate the real political issues which directly affect our basic freedom of
expression.
“I am very proud to say that new edition of the Bond movie has not been censored
in Pakistan; but in India I have to be cautious and vigilant even in my words”, said
Pakistani filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood. When compared to other Indian States,
Kerala is like a heaven. Taliban period was a dark time for Pakistan; we try not to make
movies reminiscing that. Pakistani movies are on the road of revival, for Pakistani film
makers the Bollywood movies are not less than a boon.
Artists of Kerala Kalamandalam performing
Kathakali in the Tagore Theatre premises.
Releasing the book Tharangal Vediyettu
veena Rathri written by KT Shaul Hameed:
Rajive Nath, Chairman KSCA, handing over a
copy to Sunny Joseph, cinematographer.
4
5. PRESS MEET
12PM | Tagore Premises
MEET THE DIRECTOR
3 PM | Tagore Premises
OPEN FORUM
5 PM | Tagore Premises
Padayani - Folklore Academy
6.30 PM | Tagore Premises
By Kuttoor Prasannakumar & Party
Jugalbandi
6.30 PM | Bharath Bhavan
EVENTSTODAY
FILM SCREENING @ MANAVEEYAM VEEDHI
Colors of the mountain
Dir: Carlos César Arbeláez.
Spanish/90’/Colour/Colombia/2010
Shijin VK
Entries are invited for the prestigious
‘Aravindan Puraskaram’ competition
exclusively for debut film makers of
India. The films made by the debutants
in 2015 will be eligible for the entry.
The award will be decided by the
jury comprising eminent film makers,
cinematographers and film critics. The
last date for entry submission is on
February 15, 2016. The award proffers
a cash award of Rs. 25,000/- along with
a memento and citation. The award
will be bestowed on the best debutant
film maker on 15th March 2016, the
26th
death anniversary of G.Aravindan.
For the entry form and further details
please contact:
The Secretary,
Chalachithra Film Society,
Girija KNRA 14
Kailas Nagar, Chengallur, Poojapura,
Thiruvanathapuram
Ph: 0471-2358575 Mob: 947158575
Email: narayanannvk@yahoo.com
The International Film Festival of Kerala
(IFFK) raised the need for autonomy
of government-run art and cultural
institutions at the inaugural Open Forum
session on the topic ‘Legacy of Film and
Television Institute of India’, held at
Tagore Theatre.
“Thewrongpeopleareappointedatthese
organisations, eventually eroding their
SEMINAR - graftii
4 PM | Executive Lounge, Mascot Hotel
Role of FTII, Pune
in Indian Cinema; Malayalam Cinema
Entries open for 25th
Aravindan Puraskaram
quality,” said renowned
filmmaker M S Sathyu.
“These institutions
should be free from
political and bureaucratic
appointments, like
the National School of
Drama. Professionals should head the
organisations to enable its complete
autonomy.”
Noted directors Adoor Gopalakrishnan,
Girish Kasaravalli, K R Mohanan, T
Rajeevnath and film editor B Ajith Kumar,
participated in the session moderated by
acclaimed film editor Beena Paul.
OPEN FORUM INAUGURATED
Kattum Mazhayum (wind and rain) will be screened today in
New Screen 1 at 11:15am instead of Big Father Small Father And Other
Stories.
Big Father Small Father And Other Stories will be screened today in
New Screen 1 at 9:00pm instead of Kattum Mazhayum.
Ozhivu Divasathe Kali will be screened in Sree Theatre at 2.15PM
Leila (Dir: Dariush Mehrjui) will be screened in Nila Theatre at
11.45AM instead of Mum's Guest
Garam Hawa will be screened in New Screen 3 at 9.30PM instead of
Red Cotton Silk Flower
Schedule Change
08th
December 20155
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Daily Bulletin Team |
“The response of the audience encouraged me to do more
experiments in movies”, said Jayaraj, director of the film
Ottal. He was speaking in Meet the Director held in the
Tagore Premises. “I am very much comfortable to work with
inexperienced actors. Expressions and gestures of the non
popular actors are more genuine”, he added “The happiness
of the film maker depends on the number of audience
watching the movie,” says Malayalam movie maker V K
Prakash. He also added that good movies are born only when
the audience go the theatres to watch them. “My movies
are not to sell, but to express my feelings to the audience,”
opined Manu, director of Munroe Thuruth. Movie talks about
itself and not the directors. Movies are not about reaching
a conclusion, but like a journey to mountain. The primary
thing is to break the clichés. Aikyn Kalykov, actor of Bopem,
Shehnad Jalal, cinematographer of Nirnayakam, Mukundan,
actor of Nirnayakam, Meera Sahib and Balu Kiriyath were
also present
MEET THE DIRECTOR
08th
December 20157
8. Partners Technical Partners
8
Cinema of the world and the world
of cinema could well be indicative
of the dichotomy between a reality and
a wishful thinking, just as cinema from
the world and the world in cinema could
stand for a Bleak House versus Cinderella
face-to- farce. Yet, from its earliest times,
cinema has had this twin life ingrained in
itself. Well-furnished, embellished with
glittering illuminations, its star studded
boudoirs still could remain, in essence,
a façade for the Bleak House it tried to
cover-up.
The most conspicuous thing that
unites contemporary world cinema
emerging from various parts of the
world is undoubtedly the focus on
the various forms of unrest that the
concerned communities are facing today.
It manifests itself in equally varying
forms- challenges of children growing up
in a hostile world deprived of Disneyland
consolations as in a Behman Ghobadi
shocker Turtles Can Fly, gender challenges
in a Mathrubhumi: A Nation Without
Women scenario, dark-age-visage
theocratic, male oriented Stoning of
Soraya M or Timbuktu situation, colossal
human tragedies of ethnic hostilities
of a ‘Shooting Dogs’ proportions, man-
versus-nature reminders like Wolf Totem
and so on and so forth. Unrests of
explicit political magnitude have always
been a taking-off for powerful cinematic
expressions for great film makers like
Costa Gavras or Steve Soderberg, while
subtler critiques abound in many forms:
apathy of the civilized world towards god-
forsaken aboriginals as in Rolf de Heer’s
Australian masterpieces like Charlie’s
Country or that Indian casteist malice
towards untouchables so brilliantly
captured in Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry.
The mythification of Gen. Franco’s fascist
regime in Guilermo del Toro’s Pan’s
Labyrinth is one of the all time best
cinematic expressions of political chaos
in the modern world. Horrors of the past
buried for convenience often instigate
brilliant cinema and hence, the countless
holocaust movies. Yet at times they find
novel expressions and thematic relevance
which, despite apprehensions about
overtly worn-out subject-matters, strike
a chord even in the most iconoclastic of
present day audience. Thus even in 2015
we have a Book Thief or Labyrinth of Lies,
no matter the given situations prevailing
elsewhere like in the Middle East caste
dark shadows on the ‘victim’ legends.
And, yes, the relentless Salt of This Sea
that is Palestine is in no dearth of being
told in cinema.
One is tempted to surmise, from
what can be gleaned by a discerning
enthusiast about this year’s package of
world cinema being show-cased home,
that it quite happily abides by these
observations. From the hypnotic vales
of old-world Mongolia where wolves
and gazelles roamed in unison with
galloping horses (Wolf Totem) through
the masquerading warrior-princess world
of medieval China (The Assassin), to the
claustrophobic male-world from where
five young beauties must fight their way
to freedom or doom (Mustang), the crop
really looks exciting. Yes, as ever, one
feels a bit disheartened at the absence
some titles that, by any standards, well
deserved to be there: like, say, The Beasts
of No Nation (Cary Joji Fukunaga).
| Fazal Rahman
Movies All The Way
