Tuesday, March 25, 2008

MAMI MIFF SHORT FILM PICS

Vaapsi_The_Return

Mumbai-half-marathon

Live_mumbai


A_Handful_of_Sky



YOU ALRIGHT AFGANISTAN




YOU ALRIGHT AFGANISTAN





YOU ALRIGHT AFGANISTAN







Saturday, March 15, 2008

Stills-MAMI 2008

Click following links for images.
Even check the other albums of "manoranjan communication" regarding MAMI.

'MAMI-2008-indian competition' -http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6588

'MAMI-film india world wide' -http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6589

'MAMI-2008-film maker in focus -carlos saura' http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6590

'MAMI 2008-special screening' -http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6596

'MAMI-2008-retro of andrej wajda
'http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6603

'MAMI-2008-KATYN
'http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6604

'MAMI-2008-Jury'
http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6607

'MAMI-2008-GLOBAL VISION' http://photos.ibibo.com/share/index/groups/0de7e61648781429f6c6189c46dfd4ef42-v1/6610

TINGYA-PICS FOR MEDIA

Tingya
Tingya

Tingya


Tingya

Tingya

Ravi Rai

Ravi Rai

Mangesh Hadawale

Mangesh Hadawale








Dimensions Mumbai - SYNOPSIS

Vaaps-First Prize

Vaapsi, a moving short feature on a failed movie actor ably explores how, for some, Mumbai the city of colourful dreams, remains almost that - a black and white dream, unrealised. Smartly written, expertly shot, the film evidences a young director's rare control over the craft of filmmaking, and an urge to tell a touching story. Despite the subject--hardships of Mumbai-- which was shared among several entries at the competition, VaajJsi was the jury's unanimous choice for the top prize.

Mumbai Half Marathon -Second Prize

Refreshingly original in'its form, the energetic, musical animation Mumbai Half Marathon humorously surveys the thoughtless herd-mentality of city life where we are all pointed to a particular direction, therefore we collectively rush. While the film's take on the silly mechanics of a metropolis may not be specific to Mumbai, it's the inventiveness of the idea and the sense of joy in its approach that clearly won the jury over.

Live Mumbai -Third Prize

Live Mumbai is a delightful short film on a city where survival is for the smartest, and livelihood the only religion. Largely devoid of sentimentality, full of hope,
even with its grim theme, the short feature amusingly explores urban compulsions that turn a common-man into an efficient survivor.

Special Jury Mention:

Patri :
For the catty concept alone--a young man who falls in love with the female voice he hears most in Mumbai: of the local train-station announcer's-- the jury considered the short-film idea Patri worth a special mention.

A Handful of Sky:
A Handful of Sky is a quiet meditation on loneliness among maddening crowds that compel some to create an alternatively calm, inner world of their own. The film deserves a special prize for the mature treatment of the urban theme

Friday, March 14, 2008

DIMENSIONS MUMBAI FINAL FIVE DETAILS





VAAPSI (THE RETURN)-
Director - Srinivas Sunderrajan
Phone No- 9820896946
E-mail - callmevaas@gmail.com


Award:- Rs. 1, 00, 000/- Best Entry







MUMBAI HALF MARATHON
Director - Aishwarya S.














LIVE MUMBAI
Director - Ganesh Duttaram More
Phone No- 28721314, 9920293326
E-mail- prashantghogale2000@yahoo.co.in









PATRI
Director - Akshara Prabhakar
Email-mailto:Email-akshu_prabhakar@yahoo.co.in










A HANDFUL OF SKY
Director - Neha Singh
E-mail- nehasingh82@yahoo.com

LIST OF AWARDEES

Tingya: Best Film

synopsis :
Karbhari, the village farmer was all geared up to yield the tubers and payback the money he owed to the local village money lender Sahukar Tatya. One evening coming back from the graze, Chitangya, Karbhari's bull falls into the leopard trap and breaks his hind leg. Unable to stand on its feet and move, it was not possible for Chitangya to plough the fields.
Continual medication and treatment by Karbhari and his wife Anjana could not resurrect Chitangya to employ. This sent shivers in Karbhari as a little delay in reaping would have the buds on the potatoes. Karbhari did not want to penalize himself more from the sahukar. Pandu, a farmer had just committed a suicide two days ago not able to return the money to Sahukar. Why wasn't Rashida's grandmother being sold to the butcher? She too was old and not working. Why were they all taking care of her and not his Chitangya? Chitangya certainly would not depart.
Tingya is a painstakingly meticulous film about an emotional love story between a bull and a boy. It inquires through Tingya's innocence the validity of existence. It queries the order of the alive and breathing. Is it the man, animal, bird and the sea or vice versa? Who regulates and classifies the categories?

Thursday, March 13, 2008

10th MAMI CLOSING PICS

(Double click on tthe pics to open in seperate window to save & publish)
The Jury Special Prize given to the Film Frozen Directed by Shivaji Chandrabhushan by Mr.Yash Chopra
Shri Rishi Kapoor Felicitated by chief guest dev anand for Significant Contribution to Cinema over 25 years

Shri Gulzar feliciated by Dev Anand for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Film Music as Lyrics Writer-1


Shri Gulzar feliciated by Dev Anand for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Film Music as Lyrics Writer-1



Shri Gulzar feliciated by Dev Anand for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Film Music as Lyrics Writer-1




producer ravi rai,director mangesh hadvale receiving award from yash chopra for best film in indian competition section





producer ravi rai,director mangesh hadvale receiving award from yash chopra for best film in indian competition section






Kodak Award for Technical Excellence to Shri Hitendra Ghosh by Dev Anand






Kodak Award for Technical Excellence to Shri Hitendra Ghosh by Dev Anand








Global Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on Carlos Saura, the renowned Spanish director who was in Mumbai to presided the function.award given by MAMI CHAIRMAN Mr.Shyam Benegal










Global Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on Carlos Saura, the renowned Spanish director who was in Mumbai to presided the function.award given by MAMI CHAIRMAN Mr.Shyam Benegal










Global Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on Carlos Saura, the renowned Spanish director who was in Mumbai to presided the function.award given by MAMI CHAIRMAN Mr.Shyam Benegal










director mangesh hadvale receiving International Critics FIPRESCI award for best film from yash chopra












director mangesh hadvale receiving International Critics FIPRESCI award for best film from yash chopra













Dimensions Mumbai winner Srinivas Sunderrajan receiving award from Mrs.Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan














Dharmendra Deol received The Lifetime Achievement Award from chief guest Dev Anand

Dharmendra Deol received The Lifetime Achievement Award from chief guest Dev Anand

Dharmendra Deol & chief guest Dev Anand

CLOSING CEREMONY OF MAMI 2008

Spanish Director Carlos Saura felicitated with Global Lifetime Achievement Award on the closing of 10th MAMI IFFM 08

~ “Dharmendra, Rishi Kapoor, Gulzar & Hitendra Ghosh amongst other awardees” ~


BY SONALEE SHYAMSUNDER & PRABAL BHARDWAJ

Mumbai, 13th March 2008 - The 10th MAMI International Film Festival’s awards ceremony was held on Thursday night, March 13th, Spanish Director Carlos Saura felicitated with Global Lifetime Achievement Award. The Chief Guest of the event Mr. Dev Anand, veteran Actor-Director, presented the Lifetime Achievement award to Shri Dharmendra.

The closing gala event had the esteemed presence of film directors from several countries along with Mr. Shyam Benegal, Chairman of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) and other Trustees of MAMI.

On the Closing Gala Night, the Japanese film The Mourning Forest was screened, a film that won the Grand Prix at the 60th edition of Cannes Film Festival in 2007.

The Closing screening started at Cinemax, Versova. Mr. Shyam Benegal fecilitated Mr. Carlos Saura in presence of large number of press & delegates.. Carlos Saura addressed the audience with great enthusiasm. The Press Conference of Carlos Saura was also conducted at the venue. The venue was full of Press and Delegates. After that audience has been briefed about the Closing Movie “The Mourning Forest”. With the brief introduction of movie “The Mourning Forest” screened.

To commemorate a decade of excellence, this year MAMI IFFM ‘08 introduced a host of exciting new initiatives. The Global Lifetime Achievement Award has been instituted this year to recognize an international director for his/her contribution to the world cinema. The first award was conferred on Carlos Saura, the renowned Spanish director who was in Mumbai to presided the function.

After the screening of movie, all the Invites, Press & Delegates started moving to J W MARRIOTT for the last moment of MAMI International Film Festival 2008. The venue started getting momentum with the presence of Mr. Dev Anand, Mrs. Aishwarya Rai Bachhan, Mr. Shyam Benegal, Mr. Gulzar, Mr. Rishi Kapoor, Mr. Ashutosh Gowarikar, Mr. Dharmendra, Mr. Ramesh Sippy, Mr. Ranbir Kapoor, Mr. Hitendra Ghosh, Mr. Dan Wolmen, Mr. Kiran Shantaram, Mr. Sudhir Mishra and the Chairman of FIPRESCI Jury Mr.Rolf Hamachar

Shri Dharmendra Deol received The Lifetime Achievement Award. And other honorable awardees at the 10th MAMI International Film Festival were Shri Rishi Kapoor for Significant Contribution to Cinema over 25 years, Shri Gulzar for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Film Music as Lyrics Writer and the Kodak Award for Technical Excellence to Shri Hitendra Ghosh.

In order to nurture talent and provide a platform to new generation of filmmakers, on the occasion of its 10th edition, Mrs. Jaya Bachchan, one of the trustees of MAMI, introduced a new initiative called Dimensions Mumbai. Digital films under five minute durations depicting various aspects of life in Mumbai were invited, for which there was a tremendous response with of more then 80 entries. Vaapsi by Srinivas Sunderrajan won the cash prize of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- as the best entry and Mumbai Half Marathon by Aishwarya won the runner up prize of Rs. 30,000. The Third Prize given to Live Mumbai by Ganesh Dattaram More with the cash of Rs.20,000/-.

The Dimensions Mumbai Jury also made a Special Mention of the films Patri by Akshara Prabhakar and Handful of Sky by Neha Singh.

“Tingya” were selected as the best Indian films judge by a special five member International Jury and also a three-member FIPRESCI (International Critics Organisation)The Jury Special Prize given to the Film Frozen Directed by Shivaji Chandrabhushan. Special mention for Actress given to Swati Sen for touching role as Janki in the film Antardwandwa. Special mention for Best Child Actor has given to Darsheel Safari for his convincing interpretation in the film Tare Zameen Par

Presented by Reliance Big Entertainment, the weeklong festival was inaugurated on March 6 and screened more than 140 films from several countries across the globe.

Here are some highlights of the festival:

· The Opening Gala Night marked the screening of Polish master Andrzej Wajda’s latest film Katyn, nominated for an Oscar in the foreign film category. Katyn was premiered at the recently concluded 58th Berlin Film Festival and Mumbai Festival witnessed the grand Asian premiere of the film.
· The Italian silent film Pinocchio (1911) restored by Cineteca was centre piece of the festival. The film, based on famous Collodi’s novel, was screened with live music. The screening was sponsored by the Italian Consulate, Mumbai.
· Daily master Classes by renowned film makers like James Mimikos, Shriram Raghavan, Prof. Dragan, Stefano Odoardi, Govind Nihalani and Dan Wolman.
· The festival celebrated the 50th year of Andrzej Wajda’s legendary film Kanal
· Film maker in focus was Carlos Saura whose eight films including Carmen were screened
· Special screening of To Each His Own Cinema made by 25 world renowned directors to celebrate 60 years of Cannes Festival – 2007
· Retrospective of Ritwik Ghatak and Andrzej Wajda.


For more information, please see http://mamifest2008.blogspot.com/ or contact:
Kirti Kumar
Mobile: +91 9322149070
Email: manoranjanone@gmail.com


Prachi Deshpande / Malika Bhavnani
CMCG India Pvt Ltd
Mobile: +91 9967078886 / 9820496099
Email: prachi.deshpande@cmcgindia.com
malika.bhavnani@cmcgindia.com

“Wish will come true if u show strong inclination towards it” - Riccardo Gabrielli R (Director)

By Sonalee Shyamsunder.

“Wish will come true if u show strong inclination towards it” - Riccardo Gabrielli R (Director)

Film “When The Waves break” is a smooth and touchy movie presented and appreciated in the MAMI festival. Director Riccardo Gabrielli R made this movie more interesting by adding melodious music in between.
The movie is about fulfilling wish of a grandmother by her grand son. Daniel receives an old family photo album where he come to know about his grandma’s secrete wish in that on her birthday she had asked to attend the ‘Beile de la Rosa’ which was celebrated every year. Her grand son decides to make his grandma’s wish come true and worked for it. Finally he becomes successful in his task.
Here the director wants to say that if you try hard and put your maximum efforts in your work or dreams you will definitely get that. However your efforts should be honest.

The film proved its success by pulling maximum number of viewers and was highly appreciated by the film lovers and critics.

About the Director –

Director Riccardo Gabrielli R is prominent short film maker he has made, written and directed more than 15 short films. It is his first full length movie selected for the international film festival.

MAMI Top Ten by Sonali Shyamsunder

An eight days film festival was presided by the viewers and prominent personalities related to film world. Following are the movies put marked impression about the combination of contemporary and old movies.


1. Bare foot to Jerusalem
Bare foot to Jerusalem is screening its world premiere in the MAMI festival 2008 was directed by Nitzchka Keene she died due to cancer in the year 2004.the movie is regarding the story of a women’s journey after her lover’s suicidal death.


2.On the wing of dreams
This movie was successful in pulling maximum number of viewers. The director of the movie Golam Rabbnay Biplob received “Best Director Asian New Talent” at Sghanghai International Film festival. The film story showed the veracity of the human tendency in an artistic manner.
3.Pinocchio
Pinocchio is one of the oldest movies shown in the festival directed by Giulio Antamoro who was one of the prominent filmmaker in the Italian film industry. It is the only silent moves with the melodious live band performing during the show. The specialty of the band was, for every show they used to compose their own exclusive music. The movie was successfully run in the theatre for more than two years.


4.Hero in Rome
Audience considers this movie as the movie of the millennium as it was attracting top figure viewers. Movie was the great combination of oxymoron situation occurred in the life of the main character in script. The director of the movie Panos Angelopoulos is famous for making greatest comedy movies with many Greek actors. Thus it is a must watch film!


5.I served the king of England
The focus of the film deals with the two parallel stories happened in the life of a man. The movie was successful enough in presentation of the clash between past and present of the main character in the film powerfully. The film was highly appreciated by the film critics. The director of the film Jiri Menzel is successful Czech director and also won Oscar for Best foreign language film. He also achieved a lifetime’s achievement at the San Francisco Film Festival.


6.Love songs
Love song is the movie decorated by melodious songs which its self are the story tellers. The movie is about the relations and its changing scenario differs from person to person and time to time. The director of the movie Jayabrato Chatterjee is documentary king and made many nations and international documentaries with N.G.O’s.


7.Katyn
Katyn is director Andrzej Wajda’s reverence to those who died in the annihilation done by the Soviets in 1940.the director himself has experienced the traumatic situation shown in the movie. Wajda is known for drawing from Poland’s history to suit his tragic sensibility-crafting an composition of work that devastates even as it informs. The movie was highly esteemed by the film critics and ordinary viewers as well.


8.Silent holy stone
Movie is all about the story of a ten year old boy nick named little Lama by the monastery where he was sent to train as a Buddhist monk. However this little boy has an obsession to watch television. It is shown in the movie that how gradually that habit of the boy changes and his transformation in to some different person. The director of the movie Wanma is regarded as a rising stars on the the film scence in China. Film critics added that this movie has become successful in showing the impact of westernization and consumerism effectively.


9.Tsotsi
According to Indian viewers Tsoti is based on the Hindi movie Shakti, however well appreciated as well. Lead character Tsotsi is a rebel, his accidential kidnapping of a child gave him a chance to progressively rediscover hi humanity, dignity and capacity of love. Director of the film Gavin Hood is one of the prominent director from the south Africa and won several awards. One of his movie won award for being best of festivals award as The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival in the year 2002.


10.Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno)
It is a super natural story. The lead character in the movie Ofelia who is facinatd by fairy tales, discovers an overgrown, tumbeldown labyrinth behind the mall in her village. The film was screened in the cannes film festivals in 2006, new york fimfestivals in 2006 and Toronto film festival in 2007. The creativity director of the film Guillerm del Toro was immensely loved by the audience in all the mentioned film festivals including MAMI.


Taking in to account all other movies shown in the festivals above films proved crowed puller in the MAMI film festival. Mentioned movies were exceedingly prized by the choosey viewers.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Press conference of the movie – Antardwanda , On the Wings of Dreams and Love Songs.





Press conference of the movie – Antardwanda , On the Wings of Dreams and Love Songs.

BY SONALEE SHYAMSUNDER & PRABAL BHARDWAJ

The Press and Delegate started gathering on the venue of Press Conference of MAMI International Film Festival 2008. The venue was full of Press and Delegates. It was the first time when three wonderful movie’s Press Conference has arranged at the same time. The film included Antardwand, On the Wings of Dream and Love Songs.

The Press Conference started with the film Antardwanda. The director of the movie Sushil Rajpal was present with actors Akhilendra Mishra & Swati Sen. Bapi & Tutul - Music Director, Amitabh Verma – Dialogues and Lyrics writer, Manoj Sikha –Sound Designer of the movie were also present at the venue. It was really great to see the enthusiasm of Press delegates as well as the unit of Film.

Sushil Rajpal is a FTII graduate. He has been working in Mumbai as a Cinematographer for Advertising and Feature Films. Antardwanda is his first film as a director. The movie is inspired from a true story of Bihar. Sushil has been able to bring out the story of dark truths, still prevalent in our society. He was answering the question of “what was the basic idea behind making the film”. He replied “Bihar has witnessed the crime for last so many years. I just wanted to present it.” He also talked about the message of the movie “No one Wins in that kind of situation”. Actor Akhilendra Mishra also waited to act in this movie for past four years.

Because of less time and lots of question, the Press Conference moved to another movie “On the Wings of Dreams”. Mr. Golam Rabbany Biplob, Director of the movie, has earned an international reputation as a leading Cine-Club activist and film festival organiser. He is the Founder-Director of the International Film Festival of Bangladesh and the secretary general of the International Federation of Film Societies, the Global Umbrella of Cine-Clubs. On The Wings of Dreams is his first film as a director. The film has won “Best Director Asian New Talent Award” in Sanghai International Film Festival. Mr. Biplob faced lots of question related with the condition of film making in Bangladesh. He said “Now conditions are much favorable and we are also getting financer for our movies”. “But at the same time, we need more finance in our country” he added.

After that, Press Conference was continued with the team of Love Songs. The love Song is the movie is directed by Jayabrato Chatterjee, he has done many documentaries with the national and international level. This is his first commertial movie.
Love song is a movie with melodious songs with has narrated the movie in a beautiful way. The movie is about imbalance relations and its impact on the persons belongs to the same family. A film in English is an evocative story of how ordinary lives suddenly change because of extraordinary circumstances. And how the fragrance of love move gently from unremitting darkness towards fresh light. To give new hope. And the possibility of glorious tomorrows.



Mridula Chaterjee who runs a N.G.O. in Kolkata, she has a miserable past and life after her marriage was also having strange complications. All such complications have become her miserable past, even after her marriage her daughter is not the child of her husband but of her ex lover with whom her relation doesn’t work out. Rohan Mridula’s grandson whom she brought up solely. Rohan comes for his vacations from law school, his natural curiosity about his grandmother’s life compels her to drag up memories that had long remained confined within her heart. Memories of her daughter Palash a night club crooner. Always troubled. Always stormy. Define by Palash’s feets of insecurity about her wayward drummer husband, Dev , and Mridula’s own emotionally misbalanced relation ship with her only child. Memories of a research trip to the rural area of Birbhum where she happen to encounter Aftab Jafrey again, now marred to the alcoholic Rabea.

As Mridula unravels the past to Rohan and his girlfriend Tara, they begin to understand to understand the choises she had to made – for her self as well as for Rohan. And why, in the end she was forced to revel a strictly guarded secrate to Palash and than to move on, alone , despite her daughter death and the possibility of a second chance with Aftab.

The Movie ‘Love Songs’ was screened at 10th MAMI international film festival and received tremendous response from the viewers and was appreciated on the large scale. It is the movie which touched the heart of the audience not only in India but also at the international level.











Tuesday, March 11, 2008

THE PAK FILM RAMCHAND PAKISTANI COULD NOT BE SCREENED IN MAMI BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL SNAFUS

Q & A by By Jyothi Venkatesh

THE PAK FILM RAMCHAND PAKISTANI COULD NOT BE SCREENED IN MAMI BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL SNAFUS - Kiran Shantaram, Secretary, MAMI



How happy are you with MAMI having been associated with it right from its inception ten years ago?
I am extremely happy with the way MAMI has grown by leaps and bounds. Thanks to MAMI which is held in Mumbai year after year, people now recognize most of cinema from the different parts of the world. From just one screen when MAMI started ten years ago, it is a matter of pride that this year the festival is held in seven screens all over the city and the suburbs.

In what way, according to you, has MAMI grown?
The number of films which are being screened this year in MAMI has increased from the number of films shown in earlier years. This year, as many as 147 films are being shown from more countries from all over the world. This year 40 countries have sent their films for participation in MAMI.


There is a complaint that efforts have not been taken to procure any film from Pakistan this year!
We did initiate discussions to get the film Ramchand Pakistani directed by Javed from Pakistan but unfortunately due to technical snafus and time limitations we could not get the film for screening in MAMI this year.

What is the new feature of MAMI this year?
For the first time, we have started having Master Classes during the week-long MAMI International film festival this year.Besides Dan Wolman who is the director of Tied Hands from Israel, James Mimikos from USA, Stefan Odoardi, Italy, the director of Una Ballata Bianca (A White Ballad) and Dr Dragon from Serbia, this year we have film makers like Sriram Raghavan and Govind Nihalani are taking Master Classes and I am happy that there is a great response for the same even though we have scheduled them at 9.45 am every day at Adlabs Imax, Wadala.

Are there any other new initiatives this year?
For the first time since the inception of MAMI, we will give away The Global Achievement Award this year to international filmmaker Carlos Savra. Besides this, this year, we also have a section called Dimensions Mumbai though which we have also set out to encourage young filmmakers below 25. This will be in addition to our usual yearly awards to felicitate people from the Hindi film industry who have rendered yeoman service to the industry. This year we will be giving Dharmendra the Life Time Achievement Award while Rishi Kapoor will get an award for significant contribution to cinema over 25 years as an actor-director. While Kodak Award for technical excellence will go to Hitendra ghosh, Gulzar will be conferred with an award for Outstanding Contribution to Hindi film music as a lyricist

FINAL SCHEDULE-MASTER CLASS





Oh Darling Yeh Hai Mumbai!

Short films about Mumbai submitted for the Dimensions Mumbai contest by under-25s surprise Deepa Gahlot by their dark tones.


"Mumbai… the city of dreams" is a line that recurs often.. a city always in a rush, is a theme that attracts young filmmakers.

To recap, the International Film Festival of Mumbai, in its 10th edition, introduced a Dimensions Mumbai, a contest of five-minute films on the city, open for film/media professionals or students below the age of 25. The response was overwhelming—82 films at last count, some had to disqualified because the filmmaker was too old or too young, or submitted the film in the wrong format.
But 82 different young visions of Mumbai threw up quite a few surprises. Except for local trains, crowded streets and beaches, there were none of the clichés about Mumbai one might – no films about the dabbawala or Ganpati, for instance! The local train blasts popped up often, but not a single film about the Page 3 culture, Bollywood or shopping frenzies in malls—hardly a glance condescended to the glamour or glitter of Mumbai.

The young filmmakers mined the streets and hovels of the city to come up with films that dripped sympathy for the underdog, the lonely immigrant, the street urchin, the homeless, the poor and the hungry. All the people our commercial and even multiplex films and prime time television has long forgotten.

This is probably not the Mumbai we'd like to sell as a tourist destination—but this is the aspect of the city that most concerns young people.. perhaps a few of them picked up dark subjects because they had the impression that festival juries go for 'cause' films.
But it's not possible that all of them had the same idea at the same time.

The other remarkable thing was that almost all the films were well-shot, well-edited, often with creative use of sound. And they all had a point of view.. some could state it clearly, some in heavily-accented muddled voice-overs, but their compassion shone through. 'Amateur' or 'immature' are not words that would come to mind easily to describe these films.

At least some of these young people will seek careers in films and television… so maybe the future is not as hopeless as it seems today.


(Deepa Gahlot curated the Dimensions Mumbai package for the MAMI Festival. The short-listed films will be screened at Imax, Wadala, on March 11 at 11 am, the three winners will be announced on March 13)

Courtsy: Hindustan Times & Deepa Gahlot

Kagbani -Supernatural story with good visual narration.

By Sonalee Shyamsunder.

Kagbani is the film adopted by the supernatural classic story written by W.W.Jacob originally called “The Monkey’s Paw”. It is written during 20th century. Script adviser Reshu Aryal Dhugana converted the story taking in to account Thakali culture. According to her, Nepali culture believes in mysteries and the suspense in the nature or an environment.

The story is about the two youth and the wish fulfiller paw given by mysteries stranger. A young boy Krishna came to visit his village there he meet his close friend Ramesh. Both of them decided to visit neighboring village. On the way they come across a stranger who gave them an animal’s paw which had got supernatural powers which can fulfill demanded wish. However the major curse was, the wish used to get fulfilled in a strange way. Here the director wants to reflect that good things have a miserable background. It is cause and effect relation. Happiness or completion of a wish has to give or sacrifice some thing from the life.

This movie is directed by Bhushan Dahal it is his first movie as a director. Dahal is prominent T.V personality in the Nepal. Have done many T.V commercials in Nepal.
The film was highly appreciated by the audience on the large scale, in spite of being based on the fictional story still it was proved as a brilliant effort by the director and his team, in the 10th MAMI international film festival.

Prominent film critic R.K Radhakrishnan added that “ it is an example of the film which not only entertains but also touches the heart”

Monday, March 10, 2008

Kadachit Is a One Act Play Turned Into a Film - ASHWINI BHAVE

Q & A by Jyothi Venkatesh
Kadachit Is a One Act Play Turned Into a Film
- ASHWINI BHAVE

Ashwini Bhave who has settled in U.S.A after marrying USA based finance banker Kishore Bopardikar ten years ago, is now back with a bang in India, this time not just as an actress but also as a producer, with her maiden venture in Marathi called Kadachit, directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni, which is an entry in the competition section of MAMI this year.

Ashwini who had joined a film school in USA after her marriage says that she realized that she was cut out for filmmaking when she made a short film called Warli-Art & Culture as part of her exercise. "I realized that I should go behind the camera set up and understand what film making is all about. Though I decided to launch a film on my own banner and started working on two different scripts, when I stumbled on Girish Joshi's script, I realized that my search for the right script was over."

Ashwini admits at the outset that she liked Girish Joshi's script. "It was actually a One Act play initially. When I read the script, I felt that it had the potential to be made into a film. Though as an actress, it was a difficult decision for me to take up the task of producing the film, it was my husband who stood by me and backed me to the hilt. I think I have handled it well", Ashwini quips.

Kadachit, which stars Ashwini Bhave, Sachin Khedekar, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Tushar Dalvi and Nilu Phule (in a small cameo role) was shot in just 22 days in Pune, Kolhapur and Nasik. Says Ashwini, "On a broader level, Kadachit is basically about perception of truth in our day to day life. There could be any number of perceptions regarding every one in life. My film is about a modern progressive married woman who is a nuero surgeon, who is not only a wife but also a mother. The film is about how she manages to cope with when a man enters her life though she is married and has kids."

Says Ashwini "Kadachit is an emotion ridden social drama, which deals with the intricacies of relationship. I have always believed that content is the king. My film drives home the subtle message that when one is confronted by a difficult situation, one should not get bogged down but seek a way out and move ahead."

Adds Ashwini. "I do not feel that language is a barrier when it comes to watching a film. In any case, back in USA, I keep on watching films, whether they are French or Japanese or for that matter Iranian. I decided to launch my first film in Marathi because Marathi happens to be my mother tongue. I feel cozy and comfortable in Marathi and feel that I owe it to the Maharashtrians because I feel Maharashtra is my home. I know how each rupee is to be utilized as a producer. After releasing my film on my own in Pune, I am now learning the art of marketing my film."

THE END

Sunday, March 9, 2008

A White Ballad -cinematic journey of words and images, about isolation, youth, decay and love.





A White ballad is movie directed by Stefano Odoardi who is also an artist (painter) thus his visual sense reflects in his work. This is movie about the couple who is very much in love with each other. Few years after their marriage they come to know that wife is suffering form incurable disease. Such news upsets the couple. Consequently after getting such bad news, their relation transforms in to more mature level. The director of the movie Stefano Odoardi said it’s an art film and according to him the movie is about accepting the death gracefully. The actions or the verbal or non verbal communication between them has more meaning, it becomes more genuine. Here the husband tries to give hundred percent to his wife before her death but not in the usual manner. Even the actions which they perform for each other or individually become more meaning full. They become more conscious about it and don’t what the single moment of their together life let go.

Director’s vision reflects that one doesn’t need verbal communication to know each other or exchange stance. There is no possibility of misunderstanding between intimate relations of the loved ones. The movie is successful in convincing that, many times silent communication proved more effective than the oral one. Stefano Odoardi thinks that his movie is visual narration of the story of the married couple; possessing minimum words are the best part of the movie. He wants audience to think more about the relations as some times we fail to understand sentiment presented or expressed in the words. Here he deals with the absence of words with meaningful responsible actions done for each other by the couple in the movie.

Most of the time it is noticed that, when it comes to the death of the dearest ones, we feel sad and react in the strange way or we simply fall down by cursing our destiny. Here instead the couple tries to find out new way of living life by showing their affection to each other. Putting heavy dialogues in the movies is primordial; here I want to show that visual impact is equivalent to the artistic words perhaps more powerful. The cause behind making this movie is not just an entertainment, I what people to think more about the relations in some different bearing. This movie also indicates that one should understand and respect the relations of our partners as length of the life can not be assured. Talking about the human tendency regarding life, we always come to know about the life, only when we come across unexpected situation like death. However on the other side I feel even after the death of the dearest, one can not hindered our self by loving them or communicate with them silently, still we can share our feelings with them and that is the meaning of true eternal love.