This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival will open with the Asian premiere of All Shall Be Well, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Ray Yeung, which recently won the Teddy Award at Berlin film festival.
Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, the film tells the story of an older lesbian couple and how the surviving partner struggles to retain her home and her dignity when one of them passes away. The film premiered in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.
Japanese filmmaker Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights, starring Matsumura Hokuto and Kamishiraishi Mone, which premiered in the Forum section of Berlin, will close the festival on April 8.
Gala screenings also include the world premiere of Hong Kong filmmaker Ho Miu-ki’s Love Lies, starring Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-fu and Stephy Tang; Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Gift, a collaboration with composer Eiko Ishibashi, which will be...
Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, the film tells the story of an older lesbian couple and how the surviving partner struggles to retain her home and her dignity when one of them passes away. The film premiered in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.
Japanese filmmaker Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights, starring Matsumura Hokuto and Kamishiraishi Mone, which premiered in the Forum section of Berlin, will close the festival on April 8.
Gala screenings also include the world premiere of Hong Kong filmmaker Ho Miu-ki’s Love Lies, starring Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-fu and Stephy Tang; Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Gift, a collaboration with composer Eiko Ishibashi, which will be...
- 3/8/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
No reasonably intelligent person imagines an artist’s statement about the horrors in Gaza would, in fact, end those horrors, but there are always limits to what one can take and hopes for what one could do. It might even be said that, as observers of the world and human behavior, filmmakers are especially inclined to recoil. When I interviewed Pedro Costa last month he spoke, unprompted, of a situation that’s only grown worse: “It’s very clear that we cannot stand images anymore. I can’t. I can’t. The images of the world for me [Exhales] I can’t. I turn my eyes, and I’m sure you do the same. It’s unbearable.” When I spoke with Anthony Dod Mantle a couple of weeks later it, again, emerged––vis-a-vis The Zone of Interest, whose own cinematographer alluded to it the next day. It’s difficult being a person in the world,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Documentary chronicles the Armenian director’s search for her missing soldier brother.
Shoghakat Vardanyan’s documentary 1489, which chronicles the Armenian director’s search for her missing soldier brother, has won the best film award in international competition at The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
The title 1489 refers to the anonymous number of a “body of an individual missing in action,” and was the number assigned to Soghomon Vardanyan, a 21-year-old student and musician who was close to completing his military service when the conflict between Azerbaijan and his home country Armenia over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) flared up again in September...
Shoghakat Vardanyan’s documentary 1489, which chronicles the Armenian director’s search for her missing soldier brother, has won the best film award in international competition at The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
The title 1489 refers to the anonymous number of a “body of an individual missing in action,” and was the number assigned to Soghomon Vardanyan, a 21-year-old student and musician who was close to completing his military service when the conflict between Azerbaijan and his home country Armenia over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) flared up again in September...
- 11/17/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Documentaries about the impact of war claimed two of the top prizes as the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam handed out awards Thursday night.
1489, directed by Armenian filmmaker Shoghakat Vardanyan, won Best Film in International Competition. The film revolves around the disappearance of the director’s 21-year-old brother, Soghomon Vardanyan, who went missing in the early days of the renewed fighting in 2020 between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an area Armenians refer to as Artsakh.
The award comes with a €15,000 cash prize. The jury members of the International Competition were Emilie Bujès, Francesco Giai Via, Tabitha Jackson, Ada Solomon, and Xiaoshuai Wang.
‘1489’
Jurors called 1489, “A film that acts as a piercing light that makes visible the vast hidden interior landscape of grief and creates a tangible presence from unbearable absence. Cinema as a tool of survival—to allow us all, to look at the things we would rather not see.
1489, directed by Armenian filmmaker Shoghakat Vardanyan, won Best Film in International Competition. The film revolves around the disappearance of the director’s 21-year-old brother, Soghomon Vardanyan, who went missing in the early days of the renewed fighting in 2020 between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an area Armenians refer to as Artsakh.
The award comes with a €15,000 cash prize. The jury members of the International Competition were Emilie Bujès, Francesco Giai Via, Tabitha Jackson, Ada Solomon, and Xiaoshuai Wang.
‘1489’
Jurors called 1489, “A film that acts as a piercing light that makes visible the vast hidden interior landscape of grief and creates a tangible presence from unbearable absence. Cinema as a tool of survival—to allow us all, to look at the things we would rather not see.
- 11/17/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Shoghakat Vardanyan’s “1489,” which follows the director’s family after her brother goes missing while serving in the Armenian army, won documentary festival IDFA’s best film prize Thursday.
The jury of the International Competition section said the film “acts as a piercing light that makes visible the vast hidden interior landscape of grief and creates a tangible presence from unbearable absence.”
The jury added that it was “cinema as a tool of survival — to allow us all to look at the things we would rather not see, and ultimately, an unforgettable example of cinema as an act of love.”
The best directing award went to Mohamed Jabaly for “Life Is Beautiful,” in which the Palestinian filmmaker documents his life in 2014 when he was visiting Norway and was prevented from returning home to Gaza because the border was closed.
“Life Is Beautiful”
The jury members said the film was “a...
The jury of the International Competition section said the film “acts as a piercing light that makes visible the vast hidden interior landscape of grief and creates a tangible presence from unbearable absence.”
The jury added that it was “cinema as a tool of survival — to allow us all to look at the things we would rather not see, and ultimately, an unforgettable example of cinema as an act of love.”
The best directing award went to Mohamed Jabaly for “Life Is Beautiful,” in which the Palestinian filmmaker documents his life in 2014 when he was visiting Norway and was prevented from returning home to Gaza because the border was closed.
“Life Is Beautiful”
The jury members said the film was “a...
- 11/16/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
When the doyen of Indian documentary filmmaking, Anand Patwardhan, who has been making films for half a century now, says casually that he has not “evolved”, it can be quite a shocker.
For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.
“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...
For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.
“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Agency News Desk
When the doyen of Indian documentary filmmaking, Anand Patwardhan, who has been making films for half a century now, says casually that he has not “evolved”, it can be quite a shocker.
For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.
“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...
For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.
“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Documentary’s gatekeepers are playing it awfully safe lately, in the estimation of Orwa Nyrabia, artistic director of the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, the world’s largest documentary film festival.
In conversation with Deadline before the start of the 36th edition of the festival, Nyrabia assessed the landscape of nonfiction film, finding streaming platforms and other distributors inordinately risk averse.
“I think post pandemic especially, it seems like everybody in the distribution space is really striving to make up lost money,” he told Deadline. “And this is translating into really only betting on very, very clearly winning horses. So, everybody is looking for films with preexisting IP. I mean, they don’t say so. But when I look at what it is that is really working [for them], it is all about celebrities who have their audience predefined, and when that’s not possible, then relying on preset formats such as serial killers and crime.
In conversation with Deadline before the start of the 36th edition of the festival, Nyrabia assessed the landscape of nonfiction film, finding streaming platforms and other distributors inordinately risk averse.
“I think post pandemic especially, it seems like everybody in the distribution space is really striving to make up lost money,” he told Deadline. “And this is translating into really only betting on very, very clearly winning horses. So, everybody is looking for films with preexisting IP. I mean, they don’t say so. But when I look at what it is that is really working [for them], it is all about celebrities who have their audience predefined, and when that’s not possible, then relying on preset formats such as serial killers and crime.
- 11/13/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s edition of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) will open with the world premiere of “A Picture to Remember” by Olga Chernykh. The film, which received the support of the IDFA Bertha Fund in 2022, is a deeply personal account of the ongoing war in Ukraine and its violent history, seen through the prism of three generations of women.
The full program for the festival’s 36th edition was announced earlier today by IDFA’s artistic director Orwa Nyrabia, who stated the festival’s opening film is “both personal and political,” adding that “the director does not shy away from trying to build a cinematic world with fragile elements. The courage and originality of the film’s approach opens up to a much larger worldview.”
Before announcing this year’s full lineup, Nyrabia took a moment to acknowledge the current Israel-Hamas war: “To us, respecting the human...
The full program for the festival’s 36th edition was announced earlier today by IDFA’s artistic director Orwa Nyrabia, who stated the festival’s opening film is “both personal and political,” adding that “the director does not shy away from trying to build a cinematic world with fragile elements. The courage and originality of the film’s approach opens up to a much larger worldview.”
Before announcing this year’s full lineup, Nyrabia took a moment to acknowledge the current Israel-Hamas war: “To us, respecting the human...
- 10/18/2023
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Olga Chernykh’s A Picture To Remember explores the war in Ukraine through three generations.
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam will open with the world premiere of Ukrainian filmmaker Olga Chernykh’s A Picture To Remember as the festival unveils the line-ups for the international and Envision competitions.
A Picture To Remember explores the war in Ukraine through three generations of women, including the director herself, and is a co-production between Ukraine, France and Germany. The film is screening in Envision and has received backing from the IDFA Bertha Support fund.
The international competition features 11 titles, seven of which are world premieres,...
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam will open with the world premiere of Ukrainian filmmaker Olga Chernykh’s A Picture To Remember as the festival unveils the line-ups for the international and Envision competitions.
A Picture To Remember explores the war in Ukraine through three generations of women, including the director herself, and is a co-production between Ukraine, France and Germany. The film is screening in Envision and has received backing from the IDFA Bertha Support fund.
The international competition features 11 titles, seven of which are world premieres,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam revealed its opening night film and announced competition lineups in two main categories today, completing the program for the upcoming 36th edition of the world’s largest documentary festival.
At a press conference in Amsterdam, A Picture to Remember, directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Olga Chernykh, was announced as IDFA’s opening night film on November 8. The festival, which includes more than 250 films total, runs from Nov. 8-19.
“[A Picture to Remember] presents a deeply personal and essay-style account of the ongoing war in Ukraine and its violent history, seen through the prism of three generations of women: Chernykh herself, her mother, and her grandmother,” IDFA said in a release. “In a bid for connection and intimacy, the filmmaker uses old family films, recordings of conversations, and news reports to bridge the distance between her and her grandmother. The result is a kaleidoscopic and personal film that travels through time fluidly.
At a press conference in Amsterdam, A Picture to Remember, directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Olga Chernykh, was announced as IDFA’s opening night film on November 8. The festival, which includes more than 250 films total, runs from Nov. 8-19.
“[A Picture to Remember] presents a deeply personal and essay-style account of the ongoing war in Ukraine and its violent history, seen through the prism of three generations of women: Chernykh herself, her mother, and her grandmother,” IDFA said in a release. “In a bid for connection and intimacy, the filmmaker uses old family films, recordings of conversations, and news reports to bridge the distance between her and her grandmother. The result is a kaleidoscopic and personal film that travels through time fluidly.
- 10/18/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The festival has dropped its international competition in favour of a South Asia focus.
The Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival has unveiled a South Asia-focused revamp for its first in-person event since 2019, set to run October 27 to November 5.
The festival has dropped its international and India Gold competitions and will launch its first South Asia competitive section as part of a new approach to become a hub for cinema and talent from the region and diaspora.
The 14 films in the South Asia Competition are from first and second-time filmmakers from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal as well as diaspora filmmakers from the UK and Germany,...
The Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival has unveiled a South Asia-focused revamp for its first in-person event since 2019, set to run October 27 to November 5.
The festival has dropped its international and India Gold competitions and will launch its first South Asia competitive section as part of a new approach to become a hub for cinema and talent from the region and diaspora.
The 14 films in the South Asia Competition are from first and second-time filmmakers from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal as well as diaspora filmmakers from the UK and Germany,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
After a three-year hiatus, the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival is returning with a larger lineup and an expanded focus on South Asian cinema.
The festival will feature 250 films including 40 world premieres, 45 Asia premieres and 70 South Asia Premieres. The opening and closing films have not been finalized yet.
The festival’s new vision is to become a hub for South Asian and South Asian diaspora cinema and talent and, in keeping with this, the main competition is for 14 films from the region. These include the world premieres of Leesa Gazi’s “A House Named Shahana” (Bangladesh-u.K.), Dibakar Das Roy’s “Dilli Dark” (India), Sumanth Bhat’s “Mithya” (India) and Fazil Razak’s “The Sentence” (India). The new focus will also include 46 non-competition films from South Asia.
The Icons South Asia strand features Anand Patwardhan’s Toronto title “The World is Family”; “Indi(r)a’s Emergency” by Vikramaditya Motwane...
The festival will feature 250 films including 40 world premieres, 45 Asia premieres and 70 South Asia Premieres. The opening and closing films have not been finalized yet.
The festival’s new vision is to become a hub for South Asian and South Asian diaspora cinema and talent and, in keeping with this, the main competition is for 14 films from the region. These include the world premieres of Leesa Gazi’s “A House Named Shahana” (Bangladesh-u.K.), Dibakar Das Roy’s “Dilli Dark” (India), Sumanth Bhat’s “Mithya” (India) and Fazil Razak’s “The Sentence” (India). The new focus will also include 46 non-competition films from South Asia.
The Icons South Asia strand features Anand Patwardhan’s Toronto title “The World is Family”; “Indi(r)a’s Emergency” by Vikramaditya Motwane...
- 10/9/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Iffla Will Open With Khufiya Directed By Vishal Bhardwaj And Close With All India Rank By Varun Grover
US Premieres of Documentaries The World is Family by Legendary Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain
Exclusive Masterclass with World Renowned Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj
Today the 2023 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) announced the lineup of official selections for the 21st annual edition of the internationally acclaimed film festival. Iffla will showcase 24 films from 13 countries and in 14 languages, including the world theatrical premiere of Vishal Bhardwaj's Khufiya, the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal's Berlin, and the North American premieres of Varun Grover's dramedy All Indian Rank, Dominic Sangma's Garo language film Rapture,and the Malayalam film Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi. Plus, the LA premiere of Joram by Devashish Makhija.
Passes and Gala tickets are now available at www.indianfilmfestival.org. Tickets to...
US Premieres of Documentaries The World is Family by Legendary Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain
Exclusive Masterclass with World Renowned Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj
Today the 2023 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) announced the lineup of official selections for the 21st annual edition of the internationally acclaimed film festival. Iffla will showcase 24 films from 13 countries and in 14 languages, including the world theatrical premiere of Vishal Bhardwaj's Khufiya, the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal's Berlin, and the North American premieres of Varun Grover's dramedy All Indian Rank, Dominic Sangma's Garo language film Rapture,and the Malayalam film Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi. Plus, the LA premiere of Joram by Devashish Makhija.
Passes and Gala tickets are now available at www.indianfilmfestival.org. Tickets to...
- 9/18/2023
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Los Angeles, Sep 15 (Ians) The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla).
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.
Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.
The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s...
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.
Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.
The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s...
- 9/15/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.
Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.
The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s ‘Berlin’, Dominic Sangma’s...
Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.
The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s ‘Berlin’, Dominic Sangma’s...
- 9/15/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Tabu-starring spy thriller, “Khufiya” has been set as the opening title of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Oct. 11-15). A Netflix-backed production, the Iffla presentation will represent the film’s theatrical world premiere.
The festival will wrap with the North American premiere of dramedy “All India Rank,” by Varun Grover. The film had its premiere at the Rotterdam festival in January.
Between the two, the festival will play four additional narrative features, two documentary features and 16 shorts, hailing from 13 countries.
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, “Khufiya” is based on the novel “Escape to Nowhere,” written by a former chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan and sees top actor Tabu as an operative on a mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover. It also stars Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Azmeri Haque Badhon (“Rehana”).
Indian director, screenwriter and musician Vishal Bhardwaj.
Bhardwaj,...
The festival will wrap with the North American premiere of dramedy “All India Rank,” by Varun Grover. The film had its premiere at the Rotterdam festival in January.
Between the two, the festival will play four additional narrative features, two documentary features and 16 shorts, hailing from 13 countries.
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, “Khufiya” is based on the novel “Escape to Nowhere,” written by a former chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan and sees top actor Tabu as an operative on a mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover. It also stars Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Azmeri Haque Badhon (“Rehana”).
Indian director, screenwriter and musician Vishal Bhardwaj.
Bhardwaj,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
In his latest film ‘The World is Family’, which premiered at the on-going Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) here this week, renowned filmmaker Anand Patwardhan builds his family portrait through the lens of India’s freedom struggle.
Supported by rare archival footage, family albums and interviews with his family members over the years, Patwardhan captures his family’s links with the freedom movement and how they forged deep bonds with Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and other stalwarts of the independence movement.
But the underlying theme of Patwardhan’s most personal documentary is the loss of lofty idealism and communal amity that the stalwarts of the freedom movement symbolised.
‘The World is Family’ is also his lament for the lost idealism of India’s freedom struggle and forgotten heroes such as the Sindhi leader Allah Baksh Soomro.
“Today’s India is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Nehru envisioned and fought for,...
Supported by rare archival footage, family albums and interviews with his family members over the years, Patwardhan captures his family’s links with the freedom movement and how they forged deep bonds with Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and other stalwarts of the independence movement.
But the underlying theme of Patwardhan’s most personal documentary is the loss of lofty idealism and communal amity that the stalwarts of the freedom movement symbolised.
‘The World is Family’ is also his lament for the lost idealism of India’s freedom struggle and forgotten heroes such as the Sindhi leader Allah Baksh Soomro.
“Today’s India is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Nehru envisioned and fought for,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
In his latest film ‘The World is Family’, which premiered at the on-going Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) here this week, renowned filmmaker Anand Patwardhan builds his family portrait through the lens of India’s freedom struggle.
Supported by rare archival footage, family albums and interviews with his family members over the years, Patwardhan captures his family’s links with the freedom movement and how they forged deep bonds with Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and other stalwarts of the independence movement.
But the underlying theme of Patwardhan’s most personal documentary is the loss of lofty idealism and communal amity that the stalwarts of the freedom movement symbolised.
‘The World is Family’ is also his lament for the lost idealism of India’s freedom struggle and forgotten heroes such as the Sindhi leader Allah Baksh Soomro.
“Today’s India is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Nehru envisioned and fought for,...
Supported by rare archival footage, family albums and interviews with his family members over the years, Patwardhan captures his family’s links with the freedom movement and how they forged deep bonds with Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and other stalwarts of the independence movement.
But the underlying theme of Patwardhan’s most personal documentary is the loss of lofty idealism and communal amity that the stalwarts of the freedom movement symbolised.
‘The World is Family’ is also his lament for the lost idealism of India’s freedom struggle and forgotten heroes such as the Sindhi leader Allah Baksh Soomro.
“Today’s India is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Nehru envisioned and fought for,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Agency News Desk
A new wave of Indian documentary makers have risen on the international scene in the last decade, exemplified by the Oscar-nominated titles “All That Breathes” and “Writing with Fire.” An important guiding light for this generation is the trailblazing filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and his rigorous socio-political films such as “Reason,” “Jai Bhim Comrade” and “War and Peace.”
Now, at age 73, Patwardhan is premiering his most personal film “The World Is Family,” profiling his own parents, at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. In celebration of this latest film and his rich career so far, we asked six filmmakers to describe what Patwardhan means to them.
Shaunak Sen (“All That Breathes”)
To hail Anand Patwardhan as a mainstay in the non-fiction constellation of Indian cinema has been something of an oft-trotted cliche, for at least three decades now. Yet there is a reason cliches are what they are: they represent a consensus...
Now, at age 73, Patwardhan is premiering his most personal film “The World Is Family,” profiling his own parents, at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. In celebration of this latest film and his rich career so far, we asked six filmmakers to describe what Patwardhan means to them.
Shaunak Sen (“All That Breathes”)
To hail Anand Patwardhan as a mainstay in the non-fiction constellation of Indian cinema has been something of an oft-trotted cliche, for at least three decades now. Yet there is a reason cliches are what they are: they represent a consensus...
- 9/6/2023
- by Thom Powers
- Indiewire
FilmsDespite the many limitations, documentary filmmakers continue the work of speaking the truth about what is going on in the country, through the voices of people.Still from Anand Patwardhan's 'Reason'Four years ago, just before the screening of veteran documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan’s Reason at a film festival in Kerala, the Union government tried to stop it. Within hours, the state’s Chalachithra Academy, which organised the festival, went to the High Court and won the order that allowed them to screen it on the last day. The 4-hour-long film, which chronicles the killing of rationalists and incidents of mob lynching in India of the time, ran to a full house. This is a struggle that some documentary makers in the country go through over and over again. By the mid-70s, a few documentarians began to speak the truth about what was going on in the country,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Cris
- The News Minute
Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023).The lineup is being unveiled for the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, starting with 60 selections from the Gala and Special Presentations programs. The festival takes place from September 7–17, 2023.Gala PRESENTATIONSConcrete Utopia (Um Tae-Hwa)Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie)Fair Play (Chloe Domont)Flora and Son (John Carney)Hate to Love: Nickelback (Leigh Brooks)Lee (Ellen Kuras)Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi)Nyad (Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin)Punjab ’95 (Honey Trehan)Solo (Sophie Dupuis)The End We Start From (Mahalia Belo)The Movie Emperor (Ning Hao)The New Boy (Warwick Thornton) The Royal Hotel (Kitty Green)The Holdovers.Special Presentationsa Difficult Year (Éric Toledano, Olivier Nakache)A Normal Family (Hur Jin-ho)American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)Close to You (Dominic Savage)Days of Happiness (Chloé Robichaud)The Rescue (Daniela Goggi)Ezra (Tony Goldwyn)Fingernails (Christos Nikou)Four Daughters (Kaouther Ben Hania...
- 8/14/2023
- MUBI
The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its Visionaries informal conversation series presented by The Hollywood Reporter, led by Spike Lee, Guillermo del Toro, Nadine Labaki and The King’s Speech producer See-Saw Films.
Oscar-winning director Lee will be on hand to discuss his long career in Hollywood, which includes the groundbreaking 1992 biopic Malcolm X. French filmmaker Ly will also be in Toronto for the world premiere of Les Indésirables, the follow up to his debut feature Les Miserables, which won the Jury Prize in Cannes and earned an Oscar nomination for best international feature at the 2020 Oscars.
And del Toro, who has shot many of his movies in Toronto, including the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water, will take part in the Visionaries series to talk about his cinema of fantastical worlds, as will See-Saw founders Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, whose prestige film output includes Lion and Jane Campion...
Oscar-winning director Lee will be on hand to discuss his long career in Hollywood, which includes the groundbreaking 1992 biopic Malcolm X. French filmmaker Ly will also be in Toronto for the world premiere of Les Indésirables, the follow up to his debut feature Les Miserables, which won the Jury Prize in Cannes and earned an Oscar nomination for best international feature at the 2020 Oscars.
And del Toro, who has shot many of his movies in Toronto, including the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water, will take part in the Visionaries series to talk about his cinema of fantastical worlds, as will See-Saw founders Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, whose prestige film output includes Lion and Jane Campion...
- 8/14/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TIFF continues to build out its speaker lineup despite the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes barring a number of participants from this year’s 48th edition.
Of note, actor Viggo Mortensen will appear on stage in Toronto to discuss his feature directorial debut, the western The Dead Don’t Hurt, a movie he also stars in with Garret Dillahunt, Danny Huston and Vicky Krieps. Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike, Mortensen will appear at TIFF under the guise of director. He’ll be joined by producer Jeremy Thomas and Regina Solórzano. Global rights are available on The Dead Don’t Hurt; HanWay Films is handling.
Also having onstage conversations in the Visionaries section are Oscar winners Guillermo del Toro and Spike Lee.
Last week, TIFF announced that Pedro Almodovar, who is already receiving a tribute at the fest, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and the stars of Korean disaster epic, Concrete Utopia, are already set to have sitdown conversations.
Of note, actor Viggo Mortensen will appear on stage in Toronto to discuss his feature directorial debut, the western The Dead Don’t Hurt, a movie he also stars in with Garret Dillahunt, Danny Huston and Vicky Krieps. Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike, Mortensen will appear at TIFF under the guise of director. He’ll be joined by producer Jeremy Thomas and Regina Solórzano. Global rights are available on The Dead Don’t Hurt; HanWay Films is handling.
Also having onstage conversations in the Visionaries section are Oscar winners Guillermo del Toro and Spike Lee.
Last week, TIFF announced that Pedro Almodovar, who is already receiving a tribute at the fest, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and the stars of Korean disaster epic, Concrete Utopia, are already set to have sitdown conversations.
- 8/14/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Speakers include Guillermo del Toro, Ladj Ly, Nadine Labaki, Viggo Mortenson, Jeremy Thomas.
TIFF top brass have unveiled the bulk of the TIFF Industry Conference line-up with sessions and speakers including Spike Lee, Lucy Walker, AI and film, and African cinema and film industries.
The Conference is divided into six sections and encompasses Doc Day and the new Sloane science and technology project pitch initiative funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Public Understanding of Science and Technology programme.
Besides Lee and Walker, whose acquisition title Mountain Queen: The Summits Of Lhakpa Sherpa will premiere in TIFF Docs, speakers include Guillermo del Toro,...
TIFF top brass have unveiled the bulk of the TIFF Industry Conference line-up with sessions and speakers including Spike Lee, Lucy Walker, AI and film, and African cinema and film industries.
The Conference is divided into six sections and encompasses Doc Day and the new Sloane science and technology project pitch initiative funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Public Understanding of Science and Technology programme.
Besides Lee and Walker, whose acquisition title Mountain Queen: The Summits Of Lhakpa Sherpa will premiere in TIFF Docs, speakers include Guillermo del Toro,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Following the Galas and Special Presentations line-up at Toronto International Film Festival, they’ve now unveiled their documentary lineup, which includes Frederick Wiseman’s restaurant doc Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros, Errol Morris’ John le Carré film The Pigeon Tunnel, Raoul Peck’s Silver Dollar Road, Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning, and more.
“There’s no question it’s been a very challenging year and I think we’re waiting for the moment, for the market to correct itself for people to realize that their viewers are going to need something more than just celebrity profiles and true crime [docs],” Powers told Deadline. “There’s quite a few sales titles this year that are coming in with strong representation from companies like CAA, UTA, Submarine, Dogwoof, Cinephil, et cetera,” Powers noted. “I think that’s a sign of the strength of what these companies hope are going to have some broad appeal of these films.
“There’s no question it’s been a very challenging year and I think we’re waiting for the moment, for the market to correct itself for people to realize that their viewers are going to need something more than just celebrity profiles and true crime [docs],” Powers told Deadline. “There’s quite a few sales titles this year that are coming in with strong representation from companies like CAA, UTA, Submarine, Dogwoof, Cinephil, et cetera,” Powers noted. “I think that’s a sign of the strength of what these companies hope are going to have some broad appeal of these films.
- 7/26/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Programme opens with world premiere of Copa 71 from Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine.
Toronto has announced its TIFF Docs line-up, a crop of 22 features at time of writing which includes premieres of new work by Lucy Walker, Errol Morris, and Raoul Peck.
The section opens with the world premiere of Copa 71 from Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, a timely tale about a 1971 international women’s football tournament in Mexico City which drew record crowds and has been largely erased from sports history.
Walker’s Mountain Queen: The Summits Of Lhakpa Sherpa gets its world premiere and profiles a single mother...
Toronto has announced its TIFF Docs line-up, a crop of 22 features at time of writing which includes premieres of new work by Lucy Walker, Errol Morris, and Raoul Peck.
The section opens with the world premiere of Copa 71 from Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, a timely tale about a 1971 international women’s football tournament in Mexico City which drew record crowds and has been largely erased from sports history.
Walker’s Mountain Queen: The Summits Of Lhakpa Sherpa gets its world premiere and profiles a single mother...
- 7/26/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
A documentary about women who accused Louis C.K. of sexual harassment and the consequences those accusations had on their careers is one of 22 documentaries from 12 countries heading to the 2023 Toronto Intl. Film Festival.
The docu titled “Sorry/Not Sorry,” previously intended for Showtime, is one of several films in TIFF’s nonfiction program that focus on women who have been unjustly ignored for their achievements. TIFF Docs opening night film, “Copa 71,” tells the story of the lost legacy of a 1971 international women’s soccer tournament that had record setting crowds in Mexico City but was largely erased from sports history. The film’s producers include Venus and Serena Williams as well as soccer super star Alex Morgan. Lucy Walker, a two-time Oscar nominee, is bringing “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” about a single mother working as a dishwasher at a Connecticut Whole Foods, who has another life as a record-breaking mountain climber.
The docu titled “Sorry/Not Sorry,” previously intended for Showtime, is one of several films in TIFF’s nonfiction program that focus on women who have been unjustly ignored for their achievements. TIFF Docs opening night film, “Copa 71,” tells the story of the lost legacy of a 1971 international women’s soccer tournament that had record setting crowds in Mexico City but was largely erased from sports history. The film’s producers include Venus and Serena Williams as well as soccer super star Alex Morgan. Lucy Walker, a two-time Oscar nominee, is bringing “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” about a single mother working as a dishwasher at a Connecticut Whole Foods, who has another life as a record-breaking mountain climber.
- 7/26/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The soccer documentary Copa 71, from executive producers Serena Williams and Venus Williams, is set to open the Toronto Film Festival’s Docs sidebar as it recounts the 1971 Women’s World Cup tournament in Mexico City.
The documentary from directors Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine will have its world premiere at TIFF. New Black Films, Dogwoof and Westbrook Studios are producing.
Toronto also booked world premieres for Raoul Peck’s Silver Dollar Road, about a Black family fighting to save their North Carolina property from land-grabbing developers; Anand Patwardhan’s The World is Family, which recounts the director’s parents helping lead India’s independence movement; and Karim Amer’s Defiant, about Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his battle against disinformation.
There’s also a world premiere for Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ Sorry/Not Sorry, a portrait of women who accused comedy giant Louis C.K. of sexual harassment,...
The documentary from directors Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine will have its world premiere at TIFF. New Black Films, Dogwoof and Westbrook Studios are producing.
Toronto also booked world premieres for Raoul Peck’s Silver Dollar Road, about a Black family fighting to save their North Carolina property from land-grabbing developers; Anand Patwardhan’s The World is Family, which recounts the director’s parents helping lead India’s independence movement; and Karim Amer’s Defiant, about Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his battle against disinformation.
There’s also a world premiere for Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ Sorry/Not Sorry, a portrait of women who accused comedy giant Louis C.K. of sexual harassment,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New films from legendary documentarians Frederick Wiseman and Errol Morris and new work from directors Raoul Peck, Lucy Walker, Roger Ross Williams and Karim Amer will screen at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, which announced its TIFF Docs lineup on Wednesday.
The 93-year-old Wiseman will present the North American premiere of “Menus – Plaisirs Les Troisgros,” a four-hour deep dive into a fabled Michelin-starred restaurant in France. Morris will have the international premiere of “The Pigeon Tunnel,” which is built around a Morris interview with John le Carre that turned out to be the last interview the espionage novelist gave before his death in 2020.
The 22 films announced on Wednesday include 10 world premieres, including Amer’s “Defiant,” Walker’s “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” Peck’s “Silver Dollar Road,” Williams’ “Stamped From the Beginning” and Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ “Sorry/Not Sorry.” Of the 26 directors represented by those films,...
The 93-year-old Wiseman will present the North American premiere of “Menus – Plaisirs Les Troisgros,” a four-hour deep dive into a fabled Michelin-starred restaurant in France. Morris will have the international premiere of “The Pigeon Tunnel,” which is built around a Morris interview with John le Carre that turned out to be the last interview the espionage novelist gave before his death in 2020.
The 22 films announced on Wednesday include 10 world premieres, including Amer’s “Defiant,” Walker’s “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” Peck’s “Silver Dollar Road,” Williams’ “Stamped From the Beginning” and Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ “Sorry/Not Sorry.” Of the 26 directors represented by those films,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
NewsNavroze was an important contributor to the documentary field in India, and served as the cinematographer for many award-winning feature films, and documentaries.Navroze Contractor, a multi award winning cinematographer, photographer, superbike enthusiast, cricket player, coach and administrator, and writer, passed away in a road accident, on Sunday, June 18. He was 80-years-old. The accident took place near Hosur, when he was returning on his sports bike along with his friends. Another bike had hit Navroze’s bike, and he was rushed to the Denkanikottai Hospital in Tamil Nadu but did not survive. It had been his routine to go on bike trips every weekend. Navroze was an important contributor to the documentary field in India, and served as the cinematographer for many award-winning feature films, and documentaries. Some of the feature films he shot are Duvidha by Mani Kaul, Percy by Pervez Merwanji, Love in the Time of Malaria by Sanjiv Shah,...
- 6/19/2023
- by AzeefaF
- The News Minute
All That Breathes.When Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh decided to mount an Oscar campaign in October 2021 for their film Writing with Fire, they were attempting a historic first. Until then, no Indian documentary feature had ever been on the radar for the Academy Awards. The general assumption has always been that India had only one category to gun for: Best International Feature Film. Every year since 1957, the Film Federation of India (Ffi), an apex body comprising Indian film producers, exhibitors, distributors, and studio owners, has appointed a committee to select the country’s official submission from the year’s releases. These selections have often proved to be arbitrary decisions, rarely standing a chance at even making the shortlist, primarily due to a vague selection process that lacks credibility. In the last six decades, only three Indian submissions—Mother India (1957), Salaam Bombay (1988), and Lagaan (2001)—actually ended up with a nomination.
- 4/10/2023
- MUBI
When the Oscar nominations for Best Documentary Feature were announced last year, a big underdog made the cut: Writing with Fire.
The film lacked both a major U.S. distributor and streaming partner. It hailed from India, a country with a vast narrative filmmaking tradition, but less of an imprint in documentaries. Directors Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas told the triumphant story of India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women in an industry dominated by men, and in the process made Oscar history.
“The fact that this was the first Indian documentary feature to be nominated became just such big news,” Thomas told Deadline last year. “A billion people sort of erupted in joy because we’re a film-loving nation.”
‘Writing With Fire’ Directors Sushmit Ghosh (left) and Rintu Thomas
The passage of a year has given Thomas and Ghosh a chance to reflect on the emergence of Indian...
The film lacked both a major U.S. distributor and streaming partner. It hailed from India, a country with a vast narrative filmmaking tradition, but less of an imprint in documentaries. Directors Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas told the triumphant story of India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women in an industry dominated by men, and in the process made Oscar history.
“The fact that this was the first Indian documentary feature to be nominated became just such big news,” Thomas told Deadline last year. “A billion people sort of erupted in joy because we’re a film-loving nation.”
‘Writing With Fire’ Directors Sushmit Ghosh (left) and Rintu Thomas
The passage of a year has given Thomas and Ghosh a chance to reflect on the emergence of Indian...
- 1/11/2023
- by Sunil Sadarangani
- Deadline Film + TV
Chan Tze Woon’s “Blue Island,” a doc-narrative hybrid exploring Hong Kong’s recent protest movement and ensuing crackdown, won Hot Docs’ Best International Feature Documentary Award and a Cnd. 10,000 cash prize, it was announced Saturday in Toronto at the festival’s awards ceremony, held at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
The film was cited by the jury for its “evocative use of re-enactments interwoven with traditional documentary forms to create a rich, socially-grounded cinematic tapestry.”
North American rights to “Blue Island” were picked up by New York-headquartered documentary distributor Icarus Films in advance of the film’s world premiere at Hot Docs, which is an Academy Award qualifying festival for feature documentaries. Produced by Peter Yam, “Blue Island” now automatically qualifies for consideration in the Academy’s Best Documentary Feature category without the standard theatrical run, provided it complies with Academy rules.
The International Feature Documentary Competition section saw the...
The film was cited by the jury for its “evocative use of re-enactments interwoven with traditional documentary forms to create a rich, socially-grounded cinematic tapestry.”
North American rights to “Blue Island” were picked up by New York-headquartered documentary distributor Icarus Films in advance of the film’s world premiere at Hot Docs, which is an Academy Award qualifying festival for feature documentaries. Produced by Peter Yam, “Blue Island” now automatically qualifies for consideration in the Academy’s Best Documentary Feature category without the standard theatrical run, provided it complies with Academy rules.
The International Feature Documentary Competition section saw the...
- 5/7/2022
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
ControversyEarlier, Kamal Haasan had also tweeted about the Bill, asking others to join him in protest.Tnm Staff"The law exists to protect freedom of expression, not to strangle its voice. Today's the last day, go ahead and file your objections!!" tweeted Tamil star Suriya Sivakumar. The urgent message is a call to record objections against the controversial Cinematograph Amendment Bill of 2021, introduced by the Union government. Suriya has also shared a document — drafted by filmmakers, academics and others — that those who wish to object to the Bill can endorse and write to the Union Ministry independently as well. "As another blow to the film fraternity, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed new amendments to the Cinematograph Act under which the Union government would have the power to revoke or recall certification of films which have already been cleared by the Censor Board. Undermining the sovereignty of the...
- 7/2/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
ControversyThe bill gives the union government the power to ask for recertification of a film that has already been certified by the Cbfc.CrisKamal, Anand Patwardhan and Vetri MaaranLast Friday, the union government invited comments from the public on the draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2021. The bill would be an amendment on the Cinematograph Act, 1952, that “makes provision for the certification of cinematograph films for exhibition and for regulating exhibitions by means of cinematographs.” The new bill would give the union government the power to ask for recertification of an already certified film if there is any complaint against it. It would also penalise piracy and introduce age-based certification. The move has come as a surprise to filmmakers since movies anyway go through multiple checks before the Central Board of Film Certification (Cbfc) issues a certificate. “The censor board already has the power to check if a film meets the many...
- 6/25/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
Prolific documentarian Anand Patwardhan’s 1992 work “In The Name of God” is undoubtedly one of the most important films in the history of Indian cinema. Although it is the recipient of several national and international accolades like the National Film Award for Best Investigative Documentary, Patwardhan’s masterpiece has been routinely censored by specific religious organisations and the government.
“In The Name of God” is a scathing indictment of the machinations of communal hatred in India, documenting the irreverent carnage that such sentiments usually leave behind. It follows the events leading up to the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by a terrorist group of Hindu nationalists. Patwardhan interrogates the indoctrinated, bloodthirsty mobs as well as the terrified, helpless onlookers who are caught in the crossfire of a meaningless ideological battle. The documentary systematically unravels the laughable myth of the “secular” Indian state by depicting instances of state-sanctioned genocide and violence against marginalised communities.
“In The Name of God” is a scathing indictment of the machinations of communal hatred in India, documenting the irreverent carnage that such sentiments usually leave behind. It follows the events leading up to the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by a terrorist group of Hindu nationalists. Patwardhan interrogates the indoctrinated, bloodthirsty mobs as well as the terrified, helpless onlookers who are caught in the crossfire of a meaningless ideological battle. The documentary systematically unravels the laughable myth of the “secular” Indian state by depicting instances of state-sanctioned genocide and violence against marginalised communities.
- 6/13/2021
- by Swapnil Dhruv Bose
- AsianMoviePulse
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThe winners of this year's socially distanced Academy Awards ceremony include Daniel Kaluuya, Youn Yuh Jung, and Chloé Zhao. Find our full list of winners and nominees here.The legendary layout artist Roy Naisbitt has died at 90. Best known for his intricate and interweaving visions, Naisbitt worked on films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, Balto and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Recommended VIEWINGAn extension of This Long Century, Ecstatic Static is a database of films and information from a broad community of artists. The site is currently screening films like Simon Liu's Signal 8, and also has an extensive library featuring new notes on filmmaking by Jodie Mack, Helena Wittmann, and more. Anthology Film Archives has announced a new online festival, presented in partnership with production company Vanda. Entitled Vanda Duarte: Dissident Films by Latin American Women Directors,...
- 4/28/2021
- MUBI
“A Time to Rise” is a mid-length documentary by Anand Patwardhan and Jim Monro about the trials of East Indian farm workers in Canada who try to unionize. The documentary has won the Grand Prize at the Tyneside International Festival and the Silver Dove at the Leizpig International Film Festival. Like many of Patwardhan’s films, it has been a subject to censorship.
A Time to Rise is Screening on Prismatic Ground
The documentary follows the establishment of the Canadian Farmhand Union in 1980. Consisting of predominantly East Indian berry and mushroom-picking laborers, who make up 80% of all farmhand in British Columbia, the union fights for bettering the deplorable conditions in which its members work. Though they are being ignored by the Canadian government or stopped by the farm owners at every turn, the members of the union continue to trudge forward, hoping that one day they will change the conditions...
A Time to Rise is Screening on Prismatic Ground
The documentary follows the establishment of the Canadian Farmhand Union in 1980. Consisting of predominantly East Indian berry and mushroom-picking laborers, who make up 80% of all farmhand in British Columbia, the union fights for bettering the deplorable conditions in which its members work. Though they are being ignored by the Canadian government or stopped by the farm owners at every turn, the members of the union continue to trudge forward, hoping that one day they will change the conditions...
- 4/17/2021
- by Martin Lukanov
- AsianMoviePulse
The director of Ovid.tv, Jonathan Miller, announced that starting on Friday, March 5th, the independent streaming service will present on its platform the complete filmography of Anand Patwardhan, for almost 50 years India’s most important – and to some, controversial – documentary filmmaker.
From his first film Waves of Revolution made in 1974 through his most recent film Reason completed in 2018, Patwardhan has recorded the modern history of India and illuminated inconvenient truths of its society, from the injustices of poverty and the caste system, to the rise of militarism, Hindu fundamentalism and an extremist, repressive government.
Virtually all of Patwardhan’s films have faced state censorship and he has had to wage unrelenting legal battles to make them available for screening in India, at all.
And though feted by awards and retrospectives internationally, at the Tate Modern in London or the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam, for example, his work...
From his first film Waves of Revolution made in 1974 through his most recent film Reason completed in 2018, Patwardhan has recorded the modern history of India and illuminated inconvenient truths of its society, from the injustices of poverty and the caste system, to the rise of militarism, Hindu fundamentalism and an extremist, repressive government.
Virtually all of Patwardhan’s films have faced state censorship and he has had to wage unrelenting legal battles to make them available for screening in India, at all.
And though feted by awards and retrospectives internationally, at the Tate Modern in London or the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam, for example, his work...
- 2/17/2021
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThe death of the great John le Carré reminds us of the power of secrets—the oldest of narrative devices. Thankfully, there’s a brand new festival launching, focused entirely on secrets. Spyflix will showcase stories from classic espionage and hacking adventures to thrillers, investigative documentaries, true crime, and detective stories. Spyflix is accepting submissions (for awards with cash prizes) now through February 28th, 2021, and will start screenings April 18th, 2021.The Sundance Film Festival has announced its 2021 lineup, which includes the latest Sion Sono, Theo Anthony, Christopher Makoto Yogi, and Ana Vatz.The country submissions for International Feature Film at the 2021 Academy Awards—currently scheduled for April next year—are keeping us on our toes. Beginning, which will be coming to Mubi next year, is Georgia's submission, and Jallikattu, a bold genre favorite from our Toronto coverage last year,...
- 12/17/2020
- MUBI
Directors Heidi Hassan and Patricia Pérez Fernández were the winners of the Idfa Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary with “In a Whisper,” a film that focuses on two emigrated Cuban filmmakers reunited by their passion for film, friendship and freedom.
The jury, which comprised Claire Simon, Mila Turajlić, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Gaston Kaboré, and Rima Mismar, described the film as “a magical, original, and risk-taking cinematic endeavor,” which embodied “a refreshing expression of womanhood; an ode to loss; a celebration of friendship, will, and vulnerability; a reclaiming of hope and passion; and a piercingly honest cinematic dialogue.”
Iranian docmaker Mehrdad Oskouei won the award for directing for his subtly devastating film “Sunless Shadows,” which focuses on young women serving time for the murder of a male relative. The jury was very impressed by the director’s “approach to a pressing subject which he skilfully turns into a metaphor for a whole country.
The jury, which comprised Claire Simon, Mila Turajlić, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Gaston Kaboré, and Rima Mismar, described the film as “a magical, original, and risk-taking cinematic endeavor,” which embodied “a refreshing expression of womanhood; an ode to loss; a celebration of friendship, will, and vulnerability; a reclaiming of hope and passion; and a piercingly honest cinematic dialogue.”
Iranian docmaker Mehrdad Oskouei won the award for directing for his subtly devastating film “Sunless Shadows,” which focuses on young women serving time for the murder of a male relative. The jury was very impressed by the director’s “approach to a pressing subject which he skilfully turns into a metaphor for a whole country.
- 11/27/2019
- by Damon Wise and Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
UK director Lucy Parker’s investigative work Solidarity wins best first appearance prize for debut features.
Cuban directors Heidi Hassan and Patricia Pérez Fernández’s joint autobiographical documentary In A Whisper has won the €20,000 Idfa award for best feature-length documentary.
In the film, the two filmmakers and childhood friends, who lost contact with one another after they emigrated to different countries in Europe, reconnect via video letters and share their experiences in their adoptive homes.
The feature-length competition jury consisted of filmmakers Claire Simon, Mila Turajlić, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Gaston Kaboré, and Rima Mismar.
They praised In A Whisper as a...
Cuban directors Heidi Hassan and Patricia Pérez Fernández’s joint autobiographical documentary In A Whisper has won the €20,000 Idfa award for best feature-length documentary.
In the film, the two filmmakers and childhood friends, who lost contact with one another after they emigrated to different countries in Europe, reconnect via video letters and share their experiences in their adoptive homes.
The feature-length competition jury consisted of filmmakers Claire Simon, Mila Turajlić, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Gaston Kaboré, and Rima Mismar.
They praised In A Whisper as a...
- 11/27/2019
- by 1100380¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Festival brass say 64% of competition titles directed by women, representing record 47% of total programme.
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
- 10/23/2019
- by 1101184¦Orlando Parfitt¦38¦
- ScreenDaily
Festival brass say 64% of competition titles directed by women, representing record 47% of total programme.
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
- 10/23/2019
- by 1101184¦Orlando Parfitt¦38¦
- ScreenDaily
Festival brass say 64% of competition titles directed by women, representing record 47% of total programme.
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 32nd edition, which is set to take place from Nov 20-Dec 1.
At present, 64% of the festival’s competition titles are directed by women, representing 47% of the total programme - the highest in the festival’s history.
Idfa will open with the world premiere of Mehrdad Oskouei’s Sunless Shadows, about five young Iranian women who are all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law.
The flagship 12-strong Best Feature-Length Documentary competition line-up includes I Walk,...
- 10/23/2019
- by 1101184¦Orlando Parfitt¦38¦
- ScreenDaily
The 5th anniversary of Birmingham Indian Film Festival opened with Director Anubhav Sinha walking the red carpet at Cineworld, Broad Street for his hard-hitting thriller Article 15 (out now on global general release) and ended this week with a sold-out screening of Ritesh Batra’s Photograph at Mac Birmingham. The Festival was part of the Bagri London Indian Film Festival which together is the UK and Europe’s largest South Asian Film Festival.
Eleven days of 16 screenings and events took place in five venues across Birmingham and showcased a number of high profile and emerging women film-makers films, Q&a’s with Directors as well as a rarely seen documentary and special screenings of Lgbtq+ shorts attended by a diverse audience. The Festival’s first Screen Talk took place at The Mockingbird Cinema with India’s leading cult director Anurag Kashyap who took home a Liff Icon award.
Other guests at...
Eleven days of 16 screenings and events took place in five venues across Birmingham and showcased a number of high profile and emerging women film-makers films, Q&a’s with Directors as well as a rarely seen documentary and special screenings of Lgbtq+ shorts attended by a diverse audience. The Festival’s first Screen Talk took place at The Mockingbird Cinema with India’s leading cult director Anurag Kashyap who took home a Liff Icon award.
Other guests at...
- 7/4/2019
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
DocumentaryThe filmmaker whose film ‘Reason’ was screened at the festival after a court order, says the progressive movement lacks a secular cultural space.CrisNarendra Dabholkar has a little spear stuck across his tongue, much like a sanyasi once did in front of an audience. The next minute, however, he removes the spear and shows the little projection in it, which lets him insert it in his tongue and make it seem like he has pierced it. The rationalist’s act is recorded in camera and filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, while making his documentary called Reason, included the footage. Right after this part in the film, however, you hear the sound of a bike on the road and four gun shots fired, one after the other. Dabholkar was shot dead on August 20, 2013. Anand’s latest documentary is finally being screened at the Kairali Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram, in the competition section of the...
- 6/27/2019
- by Neethu
- The News Minute
Anand Patwardhan’s latest documentary, Vivek, screened in this year’s London Indian Film Festival – at the same time as the Kerala High Court overturned a decision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ban the film from a documentary film festival currently taking place in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Ministry’s reasoning was that Patwardhan’s film could create an issue of law and order – and although the screening will now be permitted, Patwardhan’s film will not be allowed to be viewed anywhere in India but at this particular festival.
This speaks volumes about the nature of Vivek – with a run-time of 261 minutes (split into two parts), the film is an examination of the move within India away from a more secular social and political system, to one fueled by fundamentalist readings of Indian history, in which divisions within Indian society – particularly those of caste and religion – are viewed along an increasingly hard line,...
The Ministry’s reasoning was that Patwardhan’s film could create an issue of law and order – and although the screening will now be permitted, Patwardhan’s film will not be allowed to be viewed anywhere in India but at this particular festival.
This speaks volumes about the nature of Vivek – with a run-time of 261 minutes (split into two parts), the film is an examination of the move within India away from a more secular social and political system, to one fueled by fundamentalist readings of Indian history, in which divisions within Indian society – particularly those of caste and religion – are viewed along an increasingly hard line,...
- 6/27/2019
- by Katherine Matthews
- Bollyspice
CourtThe veteran filmmaker’s latest documentary about killings of rationalists and mob lynching in the country, was denied permission to be screened at the fest by the Central Government.CrisAnand Patwardhan’s documentary Vivek (Reason) can be screened at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, the state's High Court said on Tuesday. The central government had denied permission for veteran filmmaker Anand’s latest documentary to be screened at the festival in Thiruvananthapuram. The organisers – Kerala Chalachitra Academy – took the battle to the court to get permission. “The court said that the film can only be screened to the delegates and guests of this festival,” says Shaji H, Deputy Director of the Chalachitra Academy, who went to the court on Tuesday. Anand too had joined him. Anand had earlier posted on Facebook, “Fight goes on! International Doc Fest of Kerala selected Reason in competition. It was to show today.
- 6/25/2019
- by Cris
- The News Minute
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