Pickle December 2015 IFFI Special

INDIAN ENTERTAINMENT BIZ GUIDE DEC EMBER 2015

IFFI 2015 GOA

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Standing Tall The International Film Festival of India has retained its pre-eminence and relevance by constantly reinventing itself in the face of challenges

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THE PEACOCK GETS READY

IFFI

INDEX World Cinema Section will present

187

FILMS

7000 PARTICIPANTS

89 COUNTRIES

$200,000 PRIZE MONEY

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s the curtain rolls down on 46th IFFI, Panjim and surrounding areas are buzzing with intense activities to set stage for the festivities. As Cinema is a collaborative art that combines hundreds of trades to make a film, similar collaboration of trade is at work to clad the important spots with colourful and vibrant dĂŠcor.

The Peacock feathers symbolizing film reel in hues of blue and purple are ready to open 46th IFFI. The IFFI logo and Peacock cutouts are being arranged in different patterns to give vibrant and variant look. India had adopted, at its fifth festival in 1974-75, a permanent insignia that comprises a representation of the peacock, India’s national bird, following the international recognition of 3rd IFFI. Art dÊcor at INOX theatre entrance include peacocks in metallic frame. Metal truss on pillars is being erected to hang 3D peacock giving look of a dancing peacock with open scattered feathers overhead in the red carpet area. LED screens and standees are being installed at various spots at the venue. Distance places like Cortalim circle and airport are also getting ready with festive look.

MUST

IFFI HIGHLIGHTS

MEET PEOPE AT

IFFI

MICHAEL RADFORD Director/Screenwriter Jury

SHEKHAR KAPUR Film Maker Jury Chairman

CAMERON BAILEY Artistic Director,TIFF

CHRISTIAN JEUNE Director, Film Department, Cannes Film Festival

MATTHEW BROWN Director: The Man who knew Infinity

AMOS GITAI Film Maker

EDWARD PRESSMAN Producer He will be conducting Masterclasses in IFFI

SUHAAN ARAFF Director, Screenwriter, Producer Jury

ROSALEI VARDA Costume Designer,Artistic Director She will be conducting Masterclasses in IFFI

HUMPHREY DIXON Editor He will be conducting Masterclasses in IFFI

MARK MANGINI Sound Designer,Supervising Sound Editor He will be conducting Masterclasses in IFFI

JULIA JENTSCH Actress Jury

 The Kingdom of Spain will be the focus country of IFFI 2015.  The International Competition will have 15 films from across the globe including countries like Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Colombia, France, Germany, Iceland to name a few. Two films from Indian Panorama section will also be competing in this section.  The International Jury is headed by Mr.ShekharKapur(Chairperson, India) and includes film personalities like Mr. Michael Radford, Ms. Julia Jentsch, Ms.SuhaArrafand Mr.JeonKyu – Hwan.  Anil Kapoor will grace the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest of the event.  A.R. Rahman will be the Chief Guest of the closing ceremony.  IFFI 2015 awards spread across different categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor – Male, Best Actor – Female, Special Jury Award, Centenary Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and Centenary Award- Indian Personality of the Year.  The Indian Panorama section received a total number of 384 films from different regions of the country including 238 Feature and 146 Non-Feature films, out of which 26 feature and 21 non-feature films will be screened during the festival.  Mr.AribamSyam Sharma headed the Feature jury while RajendraJanglay headed the Non-feature jury for Indian Panorama section.  World’s third Sanskrit film Priyamanasam will be the opening film of Indian Panorama section.  Filmmakers ShyamBenegal, Vettrimaran, KaushikGanguliand Anand L Rai will interact with audience in a special series titled “In Conversation”.  The festival will organize a Special Retrospective on the legendry actor ShashiKapoor.  The ‘Focus on North East Cinema’ section will feature a Special Retrospective on the ace filmmaker AribamShyam Sharma and special section on new generation filmmakers from the North East region.  IFFI 2015 in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT), Paris and UNESCO will present the “ICFTUNESCO Fellini Prize” to a film.  For the first time, IFFI will be recognizing young talents from the world of cinema under its new segment - First Cut that will showcase some of the outstanding works of debutant directors of 2015.  Focusing on skill building in filmmaking and enhancing talents, IFFI in association with the Oscar Academy will organize master classes with eminent Academy Members including Mark Mangini, Milt Shefter, Humphrey Dixon to name a few.  IFFI 2015 will feature a special section ‘Restored Classics’ to highlight National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM). The section will showcase world-class restorations of some landmark films.  The sections Masterstroke and Festival Kaleidoscope will showcase the latest films of the masters of world cinema. Films from Palestine, China, Mexico, Sweden and other countries will be screened in this section.  The festival will feature a Special Retrospective on eminent Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai. His 10 films will be screened in retrospective section.  The festival will pay a Special Tribute to noted Danish-French actress, director and screenwriter Anna Karina and will feature her 3 films.

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Again

T

he 46th International Film Festival of India (November 20 to 30, 2015) promises to be just as exciting and wide-ranging as any of the editions that have gone before. On the programming side, IFFI not only unveils the best films from around the multilingual country, it also puts together a remarkable slate of world cinema titles. This year Kingdom of Spain has been chosen as the festival’s Focus Country and delegates can expect a full-fledged spread of films from Spain. IFFI also hosts many retrospectives, tributes, master classes and special sections, which enhance the variety and depth of the event. The master classes have emerged as a highlight of the festival, especially from the standpoint of film school students who converge in Goa during the ten-day event.

IFFI 2015 is hosting a retrospective of the films of the Israeli director Amos Gitai. The festival is also paying a tribute to the Russian actor-director Nikita Mikhalkov, who is this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner. In addition, IFFI is screening a package of contemporary films from Argentina.

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SUNRISE IN GOA

The host city of IFFI, a land of sun, sea and sand; feni, fun and frolic. Beaches galore, churches and saints, music and dance, festivals and carnivals. Where people enjoy music and dance and raise a toast to celebrate every occasion

OPENING FILM

THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY Matthew Brown, United Kingdom, Opening film, IFFI

A true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, Ramanujan, a self-taught mathematics genius from India, travelled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric professor GH Hardy, and fought to show the world the magic of his mind. Starring Dev Patel and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.

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OPENING FILM

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The Clan from Argentina. Closing Film on November 30

Colombian Ciro Guerra’s Embrace of the Serpent won the biggest prize at Cannes Directors’ Fo

ortnight

All Roads Lead to IFFI

By Saibal Chatterjee

T

he International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Asia’s oldest and biggest annual celebration of the art and craft of cinema, is an annual event befitting the world’s most prolific film-producing nation.

IFFI serves a dual purpose. One, its Indian Panorama section showcases the diversity of the country’s multilingual cinema. Two, the festival assembles the year’s finest films from around the world.

In a movie-crazy country dominated overwhelmingly by its star-driven commercial cinema, IFFI offers the more discerning filmgoer a welcome opportunity to watch films that deliver more than just crowdpleasing entertainment.

The festival also provides a platform to key non-Hollywood players to engage with India and explore the potential of co-productions and exchange of ideas with a movie industry that is supported by a huge domestic audience base.

The latest films from world cinema masters, mainstream mavens and acclaimed mavericks make up three IFFI sections: Cinema of the World, Masterstroke and Festival Kaleidoscope.

For many IFFI regulars, however, new discoveries are the principal attraction. So the festival has introduced a section this year to celebrate the breakthrough films by emerging global talents – First Cut. At the heart of the festival is the International Competition. Fifteen films will vie for IFFI’s top prize, the Golden Peacock. From veteran Peter Greenaway’s Eisenstein in Guanajuato, about Sergei Eisenstein’s life and career-altering time in Mexico, to first-time director Mai Masri’s 3000 Nights, about a Palestinian woman in an Israeli jail, the section has a wide variety of films.

Also competing for the Golden Peacock this year are Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Journey to the Shore and Stephane Brize’s The Measure of a Man, both of which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The curtains go up on the 46th edition of IFFI (November 20 to 30, 2015) with the Asian premiere of Matthew Brown’s The Man Who Knew Infinity. This Srinivas Ramunujan biopic dramatizes the Indian mathematician’s relationship with his Cambridge University mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.

The 11-day film festival will wind down on November 30 with the screening of Argentine director Pablo Trapero’s The Clan, a hard-hitting underworld drama based on a true story.

Between these eagerly awaited book-enders, IFFI will roll out a veritable bonanza of great cinema from India and the world, giving film lovers an opportunity to savour the very best films of the year.

IFFI will host a mid-fest gala of Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl, starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander.

Grimur Hakonarson’s Rams, won top prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. Rams is also Iceland’

Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s The Assassin is Taiwan’s Oscar entry

’s Oscar entry

As always, the IFFI lineup has the winners of the Golden Bear (Berlin), the Palme d’Or (Cannes) and the Golden Lion (Venice) – Jafar Panahi’s Taxi, Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan and Lorenzo Vigas’ From Afar respectively.

Over the years, IFFI has seen many significant changes. But through it all, its primary emphasis has remained unchanged. It continues to embrace and uphold the thematic, stylistic and linguistic range of Indian cinema.

Over the past two decades, several other international film festivals have sprung up across India, notably in Kolkata, Kerala and Mumbai, and they all contribute meaningfully to the collective task of taking quality cinema to the people.

But IFFI’s preeminence has not diminished one bit.

What separates it from the other festivals in India are its size, scope and vintage.

Despite many ups and downs, IFFI has sustained itself, thanks primarily to its consistent policy of reinvention in the face of challenges.

All the other major Asian festivals – Tokyo, Busan and Shanghai – are of far more recent origin and, therefore, lack the history that is associated with IFFI. The festival in Tokyo was launched in 1985, the one in Shanghai began in 1993 and the Busan Film Festival came into being in 1996.

IFFI now hands out prize money to the tune of US$ 200,000. The winner of the Golden Peacock for the best film takes home $80,000. That apart, the best director and the Special Jury Prize winner bag $30,000 each, while the two acting prizes come with a cash component of $20,000 each.

IFFI also confers two Lifetime Achievement Awards – one to an international film personality, the other to an Indian great. In 2014, these awards went to Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai and Indian superstar Rajinikanth.

The many measures to push IFFI up a few notches have unfolded since the coastal state of Goa became its permanent venue in 2004. IFFI now has a far more settled feel than ever before, with each improvement in terms of infrastructure and programming initiatives adding value to both the event and the location.

IFFI hosts many retrospectives, tributes, master classes and special sections, which enhance the variety and depth of the event. The master classes have emerged as a highlight of the festival, especially from the standpoint of film school students who converge in Goa during the event.

The upcoming 46th IFFI promises to be just as exciting and wide-ranging as any of the editions that have gone before.

This year Spain has been chosen as the festival’s Focus Country and delegates can expect a full-fledged spread of films from the country of Carlos Saura, Pedro Almodovar and Alejandro Amenabar.

IFFI is also presenting a selection of Contemporary Argentinian Cinema. This package includes Zonda: Folclore Argentino, veteran Spanish director Carlos Saura’s tribute to the exponents of a music genre that defines Argentina country in many ways.

Besides tributes to seasoned Russian actor and director Nikita Mikhalkov, recipient of this year’s IFFI Lifetime Achievement Award, and much-loved Danish-French actress Anna Karina, the festival is hosting a retrospective of the work of Israel’s most admired filmmaker Amos Gitai.

Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s Mustang is France’s Oscar entry

Jamshed Mahmood Raza’s Pashto- and Urdu-language Moor is Pakistan’s Oscar entry

Nine of Gitai’s most applauded films, including the latest Rabin: The Last Day, will be screened as part of the retrospective. Also included are Yom Yom, Berlin-Jerusalem, Kadoosh, Golem, the Spirit of the Exile and Lullaby to My Father.

As part of the Mikhalkov felicitation, IFFI will screen his Urga (aka Close to Eden), The Barber of Siberia, the Oscar-winning Burnt by the Sun and his latest film, Sunstroke.

IFFI has obviously come a long way since India’s first international film festival was organized within five years of the nation attaining Independence. It was a non-competitive event held in 1952 in Bombay (Now Mumbai).

A special feature of the inaugural function was the screening of the first film screened in India in 1896 by the Lumiere brothers. Frank Capra was part of the American delegation that attended the festival.

After a fortnight-long run in Bombay, the festival travelled to Calcutta (now Kolkata), Madras (now Chennai) and Delhi. The first international film festival of India is rightfully credited with triggering a burst of creativity in Indian cinema by exposing young Indian filmmakers to the best from around the world, especially to Italian neo-realism.

It isn’t without significance that Satyajit Ray’s first film, Pather Panchali, was completed in 1955, and Bimal Roy’s classic Hindi film, Do Bigha Zameen, was released in 1953.

Six decades on, IFFI continues to provide a useful platform to young Indian filmmakers who work outside the mainstream distribution and exhibition system and in languages that do not have access to the pan-Indian market that Hindi cinema has.

The Indian Panorama, a section that is made up of both features and non-features, opens global avenues for films made by veterans and newcomers alike.

It wasn’t until 1961 that the second edition of the festival, also non-competitive and hosted by Delhi, was mounted, but the idea of an itinerant festival had been sown.

In 1965, the year of its third edition, the festival secured ‘A’ category grading from the Paris-based FIAPF (Federation Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films), which brought it on par with the world’s biggest festivals in Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Moscow and Karlovy Vary.

For three decades from the mid-1970s, the festival was held every alternate year in the national capital of Delhi, with other Indian cities – Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram – taking turns to host the event every other year.

IFFI now has a permanent home. The last ten days of November are a great time to be in salubrious Goa. And when great cinema is added to the heady mix of sun and sand, the place becomes doubly inviting.

Our biggest aim is to create IFFI Complex. And our aim to complete it by 2018. That would give a broader picture of visible infrastructure

Mr Damodar Naik

Vice-Chairman Entertainment Society of Goa

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GOLDEN JUBILEE TARGET MAKING IFFI SELF-SUSTAINED

We are aggressively promoting IFFI brand. Compared to last year, the sponsorship is better this year. We think it will be better as we go forward, says Mr Damodar Naik, ViceChairman, Entertainment Society of Goa, talking about the steps being taken to make IFFI a self-sustained brand How has the 46th India International Film Festival shaped this year at Goa? It has shaped well. This is the 12th edition at Goa (Goa was declared as destination for IFFI in 2004). It is being done with lot of cooperation and collaboration with the stakeholders. All these years we were taking baby steps. It is time to shift gears and move fast. After NDA government came into power in 2014, Goa was officially declared as permanent destination for IFFI. Now, the Goa Government is working to create infrastructure for the festival with IFFI Complex -- which will house all elements of the film festival in a single place.

We have a good sustainable number of participation for 89 countries in the world cinema at IFFI. We should reach new heights. I feel that we have to gear up in such a way to further grow this brand. We have to create new infrastructure.

What are the new initiatives on ground this year?

The new initiatives this year include organizing three food festivals for national, international and Goan cuisines. The ‘Mobile Talkies’ will roam the countryside of Goa showing films with the aim to connect the festival with the Goan people in the hinterland. Other initiatives include a book store and an art exhibition in the INOX courtyard and ‘Festival Mile’, ‘The Peacock’ publication based on fringe activities happening in and around festival.

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As ESG vice-chairman what are the three or four things that you would want to do...

Our biggest aim is to create IFFI Complex. And our aim to complete it by 2018. That would give a broader picture of visible infrastructure. We want to empower Goa brand globally. Goa is already a fantastic tourist destination.

Our challenge is to make it at par with global film festivals like Cannes, Berlin and Florida. So far, we are banking on Central Government for fund allocation and all for the festival. By the time IFFI celebrates its 50th year we want to make IFFI a self-sustained brand. We are aggressively promoting IFFI brand. Once this brand is further established there is no need of government allocation or fund for the festival. Compared to last year, the sponsorship is better this year. We think it will be better as we go forward.

Goa is a popular film shooting location. What is being offered to the international film community?

Goa leads as one of the finest film locations in India. We want to grow this further. We welcome domestic and international film production houses to shoot in Goa. We are making all efforts to work towards a single window shooting permission system in Goa. We provide best shooting related services. We also clear proposals as quickly as possible.

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Cinematic Rain from Spain The selection of Spanish films that constitute the Country Focus section of the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) offers a variety treat to delegates from across the world

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Goya In Bordeaux

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Goya en Burdeos

Spain, Italy | 1999 | Spanish,

Director: Pedro Almodovar

Director: Carlos Saura Synopsis: Two children, Ignacio and ProductionsomeCompany: Lola films, Enrique, discover cinema and fear in Spanish package in Goa promises monglove, Europe’s leading filmmakItalian International Film a religious school at the start of the 1960s. thing for everybody. ing nations, Spain is perhaps perProducer: Andrés Vicente Gómez, Father Manolo, the principal of the school Saura, one of the world’s most admired ceived astheir the most exciting, what Fulvio Lucisano who also happnes to be literature Screenplay: filmmakers whose formidable body of Carlos Saura with cult witness status the always proteacher, the is a personal to, that and a part Camera: Vittorio Storaro of, these discoveries.

The three characters enjoys among work includes such masterworks as vocative Pedro Almodovar Editor: Julia Juaniz meet twice cineastes. again, at the end of the 1970s Blood Wedding, Carmen, Tango, FlamenIndian Music: Roque Baños and in the 1980s. One of the boys Pedro andis aFados, is in the mix with two titles But Almodovar, 66, is only one ofAlmodóvar many (bornco1949) Production Design: Pierre-Louis becomes a film director, the other grows filmgive director, screenwriter, – Goya in Bordeaux (1999) and his newest Thevenet creative luminaries whowill have Spanish helped up to be an actor.

The re-encounters producer and former actor. He rose to Cast: Francisco Rabal, documentary, Zonda: FolclorePrincipal Argentino. contemporary cinema its profile mark the life and deathSpanish of some of them. prominence as a director and screenwriter Coronado, Maribel Verdu, The film addresses important and be Goyaa cultural in Bordeaux is a visuallyJosestunning and character.

And themes that will more than Madrileña, during La Movida Eulalia Ramon employs striking plot devices to do so.of films film about evident in the selection that conrenaissance that followed the death of the last days of the life of the

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Spanish of dictator Franco. influential 18th century Spanish painter stitute the Country Focus section theFrancisco Almodóvar achieved international Francisco Goya. The film, shot by Saura’s 46th International Film Festival of India recognition for his black comedy-drama regular collaborator Vittorio Storaro, is (IFFI).

Women on the Verge of a Nervous awash with an eye-popping palette of From the celebrated Carlos Breakdown Saura,(1988).

83- He won the Academy Awards for Best Language Film year-old elder statesman of Spanish cin-Foreigncolours. and Best Original Screenplay for the Zonda: Folclore Argentino celebrates the ema, to actress-turned-director Leticia All About My Mother purity and power of Argentina’s popular Dolera, the cinematic spreadcomedy-drama covers the (1999) and the drama Talk to Her (2002) folkone music work of five filmmakers and delivers respectively.

Noted for being of the and dance forms.

Oscar-winning Spanish filmmaker Aleintense drama, dollops of dark mosthumour, internationally-successful Spanish filmmakers, Almodóvar and his films have jandro Amenabar, too, has two films: his and generous doses lively comedy, bea cult following worldwide.

1996 debut Thesis and 2004’s The Sea Insides much else. side, which In other words, the specially curated Contact: Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las ArtesAudiovisuales (ICAA)won the Academy Award for

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Goya InFrancisco Bordeaux Synopsis: Goya (1746-1828),

Director: Saura deaf and ill,Carlos lives the last years of his life in

voluntary exile in Bordeaux, a liberal

From the protesting the celebrated oppressive rule of Carlos Ferdinand Saura, 83-year-old elder VII. He's living with his much younger statesman of Spanish cinema, to actress-turnedwife Leocadia and their daughter Rosario.

He continuesLeticia to paint at Dolera, night, and in director the cinematic spread covers flashbacks stirred by conversations with the workbyofawful fiveheadaches, filmmakers delivers intense drama, his daughter, and by and Carlos Saura is one of Spain's most the befuddlement of age,humour, he relives key dollops of dark and generous dosesInlively celebrated filmmakers.

1957-1958, times in his life, particularly his Saura directed his first film Cuenca. In comedy, besides much else relationship with the Duchess of Alba, his 1962 his Los Golfos was recognized for its discovery of how he wanted to paint

strong sociological impact.ofFour years later man who, in the midst a mid-life crithe Best Foreign Language Motion Pic(insight provided by Velázquez's work), sis triggered his third divorce, heads ture.

(1966), he wasby honored at the 16th Berlin and his celebrationJavier of the Bardem International to Menorca inFilm search of a where way out The filmlifelong also catapulted Festival, heof the imagination.

Throughout, reveries psychological trough. into the international bighis league, thanks received the Silver Bear for Best Director The director himself plays the lead charto his immersive performance become tableaux of his paintings. as the for his in filmthe La film. caza. Isla In 1967, Peppermint acter Bonita, Colomo’s real-life quadriplegic who fought a threeFrappé also received Silver Bear for San 20th feature, had itsthe premiere in the decade battle to earn the right to volunSebastian Film tarily end his life Best Director.

HeFestival. won the Berlin Golden The first directorial venture of The successAlso among the Spanish films in IFFI’s Bear in 1981 for Deprisa, Deprisa. ful Spanish actress Leticia Dolera, ReCountry Focus is Almodovar’s critically films La primatoAngélica (1973) and Cría quirements be a Normal Person (2015), acclaimed Women on the Verge of a Nercuervos (1975) received the special prize of is also expected to give IFFI attendees vous Breakdown. something to talk about.

The 1988 black comedy-drama helped the the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

The film deals with a woman whose only maverick filmmaker gain international aim in life is to be normal. But, as she recognition. The film stars Almodovar finds out, discovering what ‘normal’ exregular Carmen Maura and Antonio Banactly is a far bigger challenge than actuderas in one of his early roles. Banderas ally achieving that not-so-normal goal. is an Almodovar discovery who went on As moving images from Spain rain on to build a hugely successful career across IFFIRadiotelevisione Goa, it would be a good idea to get the Atlantic.

Contact: Italiana; beatriz.lorenzo@maec.es drenched.

Veteran director-actor Fernando Colomo is represented by his latest film Isla Bonita (2015), a freewheeling drama built

By Saibal Chatterjee around a seasoned but down-on-luck ad23

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IFFI 2015 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Nikita Mikhalkov A Compelling Cinematic Raconteur Mikhalkov, who extended Russia’s rich cinematic tradition, is winner of Oscar, Venice Golden Lion and a Cannes Jury Grand Prix, among numerous other awards. His films are loaded with deep humanity and unwavering sympathy for troubled victims of the vagaries of history

By Saibal Chatterjee

N

ikita Mikhalkov, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the 46th International Film Festival of India, is a leading figure in contemporary Russian cinema. He is a globally feted actor and director whose body of work, both behind the camera and in front of it, is of exceptional quality.

Mikhalkov, who turned 70 on October 21 last, has won an Oscar, a Venice Golden Lion and a Cannes Jury Grand Prix, among numerous other awards. Many of his films made during a career spanning over four decades have been huge commercial successes in Russia.

Driven by strong nationalist fervour, Mikhalkov’s cinema is at the same time informed with deep humanity and an unwavering sympathy for troubled victims of the vagaries of history.

His work as a director has extended Russia’s rich cinematic tradition. The country has over the decades produced hugely influential directors, beginning with Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin, whose contributions to both technique and content have been seminal.

The flow of Russian greats continues to this day with the likes of Andrei Konchalovsky, Alexander Sokurov and An-

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drei Zvyagintsev holding the flag aloft in the global arena. Mikhalkov has held his place in this pantheon as a consistent cinematic force.

His father, Sergei Mikhalkov, was a muchloved dramatist, satirist and author of children’s verses, while his mother, Natalia Konchalovskaya, was a poet of repute.

Andrei Konchalovsky is Mikhalkov’s elder brother.

Like Andrei Tarkovsky and Konchalovsky before him, he was in veteran filmmaker Mikhail Romm’s directing class at the Soviet State School of Cinematography (VGIK). Mikhalkov’s graduation film was A Quiet Day at the End of the War (1970), which marked the beginning of his collaboration with production designer and screenwriter Aleksandr Adabashian.

Even before he graduated from the institute in 1970, he had already made a name for himself as an actor and had directed three short films.

Mikhalkov figured in the cast in over twenty films, including Giorgiy Daneliya’s Walking the Streets of Moscow (1963) and his brother’s A Nest of Gentle Folk (1969), based on an Ivan Turgenev story, before he began directing his own narrative features.

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Nikita Mikhalkov Actor and Director

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Nikita Mikhalkov is a globally feted actor and director whose body of work, both behind the camera and in front of it, is of exceptional quality

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His directorial debut was At Home among Strangers, A Stranger at Home (1974).

The film, set in the 1920s during the civil war that followed the Russian revolution, was a ‘Western’ about an attack on a train carrying gold.

The 1970s saw Mikhalkov consolidate his directorial career with films like A Slave of Love (1975), Unfinished Piece for the Player Piano (1977) and Five Evenings (1978).

A Slave of Love, a tribute to silent films, is set in 1917 in the Black Sea resort town of Odessa, where a melodrama is being shot even as the Bolsheviks overrun Moscow. The filming continues even as the unit runs low on funds and raw stock, the unit hoping that matters will return to normal soon.

With its clear Chekhovian touches, A Slave of Love provided the first glimpse of Mikhalkov’s lifelong interest in the plight of the intelligentsia grappling with social and political changes that they can idly talk about without being able to intervene in.

Mikhalkov’s next film, Unfinished Piece for the Player Piano, was an adaptation of an early Anton Chekhov play, Platonov, about an idealistic young man sinking into self-disgust as he struggles to come to terms with the dissipation of his early promise as a poet.

Five Evenings, adapted from a stage play by Alexander Volodin, revolves around a man and a woman, who are engaged to each other but are separated by the war and meet again a decade and a half later. The film probes the psychological scars that war leaves on human minds and hearts.

Another film that Mikhalkov made during the 1970s, Oblomov, was premiered only in 1980 – at the Berlin Film Festival.

It was based on a massive novel of the same and was shown in two parts. The story of a well-intentioned nobleman in the grip of hopeless sloth focused on lives that had lost genuine meaning.

While he continued making films such as Kinfolk (1981) and A Private Conversation without Witnesses (1983), Mikhalkov

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returned to acting. During this period, among numerous other roles, he played Henry Baskerville in the Russian version of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

In 1987, Mikhalkov made Dark Eyes, adapted from the Chekhov short story The Lady with a Lapdog, the story of a Moscow bank manager who accidentally meets a provincial married woman at a seaside resort.

Dark Eyes, which Mikhalkov filmed with a largely Italian crew and with Marcello Mastroianni playing the male lead, was at that point his most famous film outside of Russia. It fetched the Italian star a best actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival and an Oscar nomination.

Mikhalkov hit a purple patch in the 1990s with two films that were nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

The first among these was Urga (Close to Eden, 1991), a tale of friendship between a Russian trucker and a Mongolian shepherd.

Apart from being shortlisted for an Oscar, Urga, which brought the natural splendour of Inner Mongolia to the screen in a way that no other film had ever done before, won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It did not however win the Oscar. Mikhalkov was second time lucky at the Academy Awards in 1995, winning a statuette for Burnt by the Sun, which was also written by him.

The film, which explores the human side of betrayal through the sprawling story of a revolutionary hero (played by the director himself) who falls from grace in Stalinist Russia, also won the Jury Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

Over a decade later, Mikhalkov earned yet another Oscar nomination for the film 12, an adaptation of Sidney Lumet’s 1957 courtroom drama 12 Angry Men. Although Mikhalkov, like most filmmakers of his time, has had a love-hate relationship with critics, especially of late, his films, marked by strong technique and engaging storytelling, have been big grossers not just in Russia, but also in other parts of Europe.

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ILAIYARAAJA GETS CENTENARY AWARD FOR INDIAN FILM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR @ IFFI 2015

Weaving Magic with Music What sets Ilaiyaraaja apart is the magnificent ease and efficacy with which he fuses Tamil folk traditions, the strains of Carnatic music and Western orchestration to create a soundscape that instantly draws the listener into its depths

By Saibal Chatterjee

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I

ndian film composers make music.

Ilaiyaraaja makes magic. His compositions add value to a film, at the same time, they also have a life beyond the films that they are embedded in. Could there be any other reason why he is a household name across the length and breadth of the country?

Operating in a league of his own, Ilaiyaraaja has been striking the chords of the hearts of millions of admirers for all of four decades. His consistency borders on the phenomenal. He is widely, and rightly, regarded as a peerless force in the domain of film music.

Ilaiyaraaja, who made his debut as an independent music director in the 1975 Tamil film, Annakili, has continued to dominate the south Indian film music scene despite changing fads and popular tastes. He moves with the times without bartering away the soul of his music.

When he branched out on his own he was simply known as Raaja, so his first producer added the prefix Ilaiya (meaning young in Tamil) to his name to distinguish him from a music director who was already in the industry, A.M. Rajah.

The name stuck and rose to heights that nobody had scaled before him. He soon emerged as the undisputed Raaja of Raaga.

Ilaiyaraaja grew up in rural Tamil Nadu and imbibed the lilt and range of the region’s folk music. He was only 14 when he joined his elder brother Pavalar Varadarajan’s itinerant troupe. He travelled with it all across south India over the next ten years, honing his skills and sharpening his ears to the unique sounds that he heard around him.

It was during this learning curve that he composed his first number – an adaptation of an elegy to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, penned originally by the great Tamil poet and lyricist Kannadasan.

Ilaiyaraaja learnt the ropes of classical music from the renowned Madras-based guru Master Dhanraj and subsequently did a course in classical guitar from Trinity College, London, which is an institution that also drew A.R. Rahman to its hallowed corridors many years later.

Ilaiyaraaja absorbed various influences,

and he brought all that he acquired along the way to bear upon his musical output.

It has been so rich and varied that he is deservedly counted among the very best music directors that Indian cinema has ever produced.

What sets Ilaiyaraaja apart is the magnificent ease and efficacy with which he fuses Tamil folk traditions, the strains of Carnatic music and Western orchestration to create a soundscape that instantly draws the listener into its depths.

Those that do not know better often draw comparisons between him and his accomplished protégé A.R. Rahman. The latter, who in his formative years was a keyboardist in Ilaiyaraaja’s musical troupe, dismisses all these attempts as odious.

Rahman sees his mentor as a trendsetter, a genius who paved the way for the work that the Oscar-winner does today in India and elsewhere in the world. Ilaiyaraaja, on his part, never hesitates to describe Rahman as ‘a phenomenon’.

That generosity of spirit extends to everyone. When the doyen of Tamil film music, M.S. Vishwanathan, passed away in July this year, Ilaiyaraaja took the lead in organizing a concert to pay homage to the man who composed songs for over 1,200 films.

The remarkably prolific Ilaiyaraaja has composed over 5,000 songs for more than 1,000 films, besides the background score of numerous other successful feature films.

Besides, he has to his credit several acclaimed non-film albums, including How to Name It and Nothing but Wind, both of which he released at the height of his prowess in the 1980s.

How to Name It was Ilaiyaraaja’s first fusion album. The numbers draw inspiration from 18th century poet-musician Thiyagaraja as well as legendary German baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. The album was proof that there was nothing in the musical sphere that was beyond the ken of Ilaiyaraaja.

The purely instrumental album Nothing but Wind had compositions that featured flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia playing raagas with scores of violins. No Indian music director had ever attempted something of this nature – am audacious blend

Saibal Chatterjee is an independent New Delhi-based film critic and writer who has worked on the staff of several leading publications, served on the editorial board of Encyclopaedia Britannica’s volume on Hindi cinema and authored a biography of poet-filmmaker Gulzar.

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Ilaiyaraaja’s contribution to film music is second to none. There couldn’t be a more deserving Centenary Award winner of Western harmony with the patterns of Hindustani classical music.

He continued composing remarkable non-film music through the subsequent decades.

In 2010, the Government of India bestowed on him the Padma Bhushan. This honour was a crowning glory for a composer who has won the National Film Award – the country’s highest prize for cinema – on as many as four occasions.

Three of his National Awards have been for Best Music Direction for the Tamil film Sindhu Bhairavi (1986) and the Telugu films Saagara Sangamam (1984) and Rudraveena (1989).

His fourth National Award was for Best Background Score for the Malayalam period epic Pazhassi Raja (2009).

On the national level, Ilaiyaraaja is known for his music in films such Mani Ratnam’s Nayagan, Balu Mahendra’s Sadma, Bharathan’s Thevar Magan, Priyadarshan’s Kaalapani and Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram. Among the countless other films for which Ilaiyaraaja composed music are Thalapathi, Mudhal Mariyadhai, Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal and Pithamagan.

Today, aged 72, Ilaiyaraaja is still in the

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thick of the action, setting benchmarks that only the exceptionally talented can attain. He is currently collaborating with Hindi film director R. Balki for the fourth time after Cheeni Kum, Paa and Shamitabh. The upcoming film is Ki and Ka. In the first half of the 1970s, he was a musician for hire and he worked with many composers, including Salil Chowdhury, playing a variety of instruments. He also served as assistant to Kannada film music composer G.K. Venkatesh before taking the independent plunge.

His rise was meteoric but his success was obviously no flash in the pan. He built steadily on the early momentum, delivering hit after hit with relentless regularity.

He has never faltered. Such is the flow of his music that even those who could not understand the Tamil or Telugu lyrics were swept away by the power of his compositions. Only a true maestro like him can rise above the limits imposed by verbal language and communicate through pure music.

Ilaiyaraaja’s contribution to film music is second to none. There couldn’t be a more deserving Centenary Award winner.

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NFDC organizes Film Bazaar(20th - 24th November 2015, Goa Marriott Resort), side by side the International Film Festival Of India, Goa The Film bazaar is South Asia’s global Film Market, which is a platform exclusively created to encourage collaboration between the international and South Asian film fraternity.

The Film Bazaar is focused on discovering, supporting and showcasing South Asian content and talent, in the realm of filmmaking, production and distribution. A converging point for film buyers and sellers from all over the world, the Bazaar also aims at facilitating the sales of world cinema in the South Asian Region.

Film Bazaar facilitating c in the realm tion and dis Delegates fr countries w pating in the

r is aimed at collaboration m of producstribution. rom 38 will be particie Bazaar.

For first time in the Film Bazaar this year, Children’s Screenwriters’ Lab is being introduced as a part of the Screenwriters’ Lab with the Romance Screenwriters’ Lab introduced last year.

This year, six projects are selected in each lab, these 18 screenwriters will be at the Bazaar this year and will get an opportunity to participate in an Investors Pitch and pitch their projects to the invited Indian and International buyers/ producers/directors.

Film Bazaar will be focusing on more than 150 film projects at various stages under film labs, co-production market, viewing room and industry screening.

FICCI @ IFFI

CO-PRODUCTION WORKSHOP PROMISE PLENTY AT IFFI FICCI has been at the forefront of policy changes and capturing top trends and issues that would trigger growth of Indian cinema to new heights. For IFFI 2015, it has some important tasks cut out

F

ederation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) has been spearheading the growth of Indian Media & Entertainment Sector for the last two decades. At IFFI 2015, FICCI, in association with Directorate of Film Festivals, will organize workshops on ‘Co-Production and Navigating Global Film Festival Circuit’. FICCI has been at the forefront of policy changes and capturing top trends and issues that would trigger growth of Indian cinema to new heights. Some of the work where FICCI has been actively involved are: Co-Production Treaties: India has signed co-production treaties with UK, France, South Korea, China, Canada, Italy, Germany, Brazil, France, New Zealand, Poland and Spain. Many new Co-Production Treaties are likely to be signed in the coming months. These CoProductions have enabled Indian filmmakers to reach out to audiences beyond the domestic territory. The Treaties help producers pool in resources, get access to wider talent pool and gain market reach.

The Agreements identify who the coproducers can be, the minimum and maximum permissible share of each co-producer, possibility of co-producers from third countries, provisions for sharing of revenue, copyrights and prizes.

They also provide for contribution by the co-producer of each country and incurrence of production and post-production expenses, shooting etc in each country for artistes.

New Cinematograph Act: The Government is set to amend the Cinematograph

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Act 1952, to enable it meet the present day challenges and make the entire certification process transparent and speedy. The Government has proposed to bring in amendments to the existing Cinematograph Act with a view to enable the Act to meet the modern requirements of certification process. Duly taking into consideration recommendations of experts and stake holders, the amended Act is expected to address, among others, the following : Composition of Advisory panels and their selection process;  Guidelines for certification;  Classification of certification of films in a more modern and universal manner;  Enhancing the jurisdiction of the Appellate Tribunal.  Bringing in stringent penal provisions for copyright violations.

Location Shooting: There is a huge opportunity to make India the world leader as film shooting destination and emerge as a hub for post production services.

India has beautiful locales, world class talents and brilliant filmmakers. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is in the process of setting up of a Film Facilitation Unit, a single window service for promoting film shooting which is all set to become operational shortly. The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) has been nominated as the executing agency for setting up of/operating a Film Facilitation Unit.

Expanding reach of Indian regional cinema: Indian regional cinema is expanding beyond the international film festival circuit. While the four South InLIKE PICKLE IN FACEBOOK

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The emergence of new business models and digital platforms (OTT, Apps, plexes in DTH) is set to create new monetization for films dian markets, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, still lead the pack, the Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi film industries have undoubtedly left their mark in hitherto unexplored markets.

Regional cinema is now able to make bigger inroads in the overseas market, growing in both traditional markets such as the US, Gulf and non-traditional markets such as Japan, France, Denmark, Taiwan, Korea and China. The trend of opening up new markets applies to regional films as well. ‘Kaaka Muttai’ and ‘Char Sahibzaade’ performed extremely well in non-traditional markets such as Canada and New Zealand.

Emergence of New Monetization for Films: For all the convenience and flexibility of streaming content on to smart phones and tablets, the viewing experience on a high-definition large screen TV will likely remain unmatched. While smart TVs/connected TVs are one way for consumers to watch on-demand content on TVs, the market is shifting towards over-the-top (OTT) devices. The emergence of new business models and digital platforms (OTT, Apps, plexes in DTH) is set to create new monetization for films.

Piracy & Copyright issues: As India moves into knowledge based economy, a strong Intellectual Property regime that provides adequate safeguards to the holder of copyright becomes increasingly important. The menace of piracy is rapidly eating away into the foundations of the entertainment industry. This should be handled at three levels;

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Policy, Enforcement and prosecution.

Institutional financing: Despite having got industry status in IDBI Act, the film industry is having difficulty in getting institutional financing. The funding model for the film industry must be revived ensuring that nationalized banks such as IDBI support the industry with more attractive interest rates which are cheaper than the private/foreign banks.

Export Promotion: Indian films have a universal appeal and have great export potential. While our exports have grown by significantly there is still a lot of untapped potential.

Skilling, Education & Training: Media & Entertainment sector faces an acute shortage of professionals. To address the challenge of unavailability of skilled workers in the media and entertainment industry, FICCI will soon start a certification programme. FICCI’s Media & Entertainment Skills Council (set up under the National Skills Development Mission, Government of India under the aegis of National Skill Development Corporation and promoted by FICCI) is working with accredited film unions to run workshops and certification of institutes in the country.

FICCI is also of view that existing universities should include Film, Broadcast, Event Management and Digital technology in their curriculum. Similarly, institutes of Higher Learning like the IITs and the IIMs should be encouraged to offer specialization in Media & Entertainment.

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Indian Panorama Films 2015 The Indian Panorama, a section that is made up of both features and non-features, opens global avenues for films made by veterans and newcomers alike. Indian Panorama showcases the finest upcoming Indian films, which generates a lot of interest among cinephiles from the sub-continent AIN (THE EYE) Ain discusses the relationship between individuals and society, by suing the Muslim community in the Malabar area in Kerala as the backdrop. It traces the life of Maanu, a Muslim youth who cannot identify where he belongs, and his grandfather is the only one who understands how tormented he feels. One day he witnesses a murder and flees because of fear. The film unravels how Maanu adapts to society after that incident and how he is influenced by the characters that he comes across in life.

Language: Malayalam | Director: Sidhartha Siva, Production company: 1:1 Entertainments | Running timing: 1h 55m

ANWAR KA AJAB KISSA The film is woven around a private detective, Mohammad Anwar, who lives with his dog in a lonesome rented room of a community house, and works in a small time detective agency in a big Indian city. Anwar has a tendency to get personally involved in the cases he handles, often landing up in comical, dangerous and weird situations. One day Anwar decides to stop following anyone else and starts off on a trip by himself.

Language: Hindi | Director: Buddhadeb Dasgupta Produced by: Ajay Sharma | Casting: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Ananya Chatterjee, Pankaj Tripathi Running timing: 2h 17m

BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN A 5-year old Pakistani girl gets separated from her mother at an Indian railway station and finds shelter in the homes of Pawan, an ardent devotee of Hanuman. Set against the colourful backdrop of Chandni Chowk, the film moves across Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir, tracing the journey of a man who fights all odds to fulfil his promise to a little girl from across the border, and to reunite her with her parents.

Language: Hindi Director: Kabir Khan Produced by: Salman Khan, Rockline Venkatesh Running timing: 159 minutes

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CINEMAWALA Cinemawala is a film about a father-son relationship set against the backdrop of cinema.Pranab, a retired film exhibitor, has always maintained himself as a true ‘Cinemawala’, whereas, his son, Prakash is an opportunist who has no qualms about selling pirated DVDs of feature films in town.

Considering Prakash is also spreading films among the people, the film asks the question whether, like his father, he too is a ‘Cinemawala’.

Language: Bengali | Director: Kaushik Ganguly Produced by: Shree Venkatesh Films Casting: Paran Bandopadhyay, Parambrata Chatterjee, Soumik Halder

COURT A sewage worker’s dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai. An ageing folk singer is arrested and accused of performing an inflammatory song, which may have incited the worker to commit suicide. The trial unfolds in a lower court, where the hopes and dreams of the city’s ordinary people play out. Forging these fates are the lawyers and judge, who are observed in their personal lives beyond the theatre of the courtroom.

Language: Marathi | Director: ChaitanyaTamhane Produced by: Vivek Gomber | Casting: Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni | Running timing: 116 minutes

DAU HUDUNI METHAI (SONG OF THE HORNED OWL) Insurgency related fatalities have grown to an alarming number in the North-Eastern Region of India over the past 35 years. Close to 40,000 people have lost their lives to communal violence and region based disturbances, insurgency and counter-insurgency operations, and fratricidal wars between erstwhile comrades of militant organisations. The majority of victims are common folk who have nothing to do with either side and the film recounts the effects of the violence through the perspective of Raimali, a young rape victim Director: Manju Borah

KADAMBARI There are different interpretations of the suicide amongst scholars but the most controversial interpretation relates the event to the relationship which Kadambari Devi shared with Rabindranath Tagore. Through this incident the film explores the human dynamics and the socio-cultural equations during that period. And aims to get and insight into the genius of Rabindranath Tagore in his formative years.

Language: Bengali | Director: Suman Ghosh Produced by: Rakesh Singh | Casting: Konkona Sen Sharma, Parambrata Chatterjee, Koushik Sen

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KATYAR KALJAT GHUSALI The film attempts to explore the relationship between the intellect and emotion through the story of Sadashiv and his two gurus-Panditji and Khasaheb. Sadashiv’s overwhelming success at the Dussera concert establishes the fact that his guru, Panditji’s mark can never be deleted, because his music is a blend of the intellect and emotion, and is as much soul as technique. Such music can be attained only by abandoning one’s ego and surrendering to the art of Music.

Language: Marathi | Director: Subodh Bhave Produced by: Nitin Keni, Nikhil Sane, Sunil Phadtare Casting: Shankar Mahadevan, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Subodh Bhave Running timing: 162 minutes

KOTTI This is a story of a family in rural India where the elder son is a transgender.

Ashamed of his feminine ways and unable to face the social ostracism, the father decides to send him away. However, the younger son, who loves his brother very much takes a stand and tries to resist the family. The elder son is caught between the opposing forces of his love for his family and his gender identity that he has no control over.

Language: Tamil | Director: Suhaas Bhonsle Produced by: J.T.Sathish Kumar

LUKKA CHUPPI Lukka Chuppi maps the incidents of one night when a group of college friends meet after 14 years along with their spouses. It delves into their lives as married couples. The night has many surprises in store, especially for the wives. They have met the serious and stressed-out family men, but not their jovial, laid-back selves. The film explores the true emotional needs of people and what it takes to discover them.

Language: Malayalam | Director: Bash Mohammed Produced by: Feel Reel Cinemas | Casting: Jayasurya, Remya Nambeesan, Murali Gopy | Running timing: 112 minutes

MASAAN Four lives intersect along the Ganges: a low-caste boy hopelessly in love; a daughter ridden with guilt of a tragic encounter; a father’s fading morality over ransom; and a spirited child yearning for a family, all longing to escape the moral constructs of a small-town. Masaan tells the story of modern contemporary India where these characters are seeking a better future, whilst buffeted between modernity and an attachment to tradition.

Language: Hindi | Director: Neeraj Ghaywan Produced by: Drishyam Films, Phantom Films, Macassar Productions, Sikhya Entertainment | Casting: Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Sanjay Mishra | Running timing: 109 minutes

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NACHOM-IA KUMPASAR (LET’S DANCE TO THE RHYTHM) Nachom-ia Kumpasar is a Konkani feature film that is a tribute to Goan music and musicians. Narrated through the emotional rollercoaster of a love story destined to tragedy, it celebrates Goan music through the eyes of its eclectic generation of musicians in the 1960s and 70s, who lived and died unrecognized, unappreciated, and unsung. The film weaves its lilting narrative through 20 timeless Konkani songs that convey the timbre and texture of a pitch and rhythm they made their own.

Language: Konkani | Director: Bardroy Barretto Casting: Vijay Maurya & Palomi Ghosh | Running timing: 2h 36m

NANAK SHAH FAKIR The film is named after and based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, who travelled the world teaching the philosophy of Ik Onkar (‘There Is Only One God’). Guru Nanak spread the virtues of peace, love and harmony through mystic and soulful music. He was referred to as ‘Shah’ by Muslims and ‘Fakir’ by Hindus, the highest of honours in both religions, and hence was called ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’.

Director: Apurba Kishore Bir Produced by: Gurbani Media Casting: Arif Zakaria, Puneet Sikka, Adil Hussain

NANU AVANALL AVALU The film narrates the story of Madesha, a boy from the rural parts of Karnataka, who believes that he is a woman trapped in the body of a man.

Despite innumerable obstacles placed in his way by family and society, he leaves his home in a bid to change his gender. The films traces his journey as he becomes ‘Vidya’ who then has to discover her own identity and fight against all odds to lead a dignified life.

Language: kannada | Director: B. S. Lingadevaru Produced by: Ravi R. Garani Casting: Sanchari Vijay, Kunal Punekar Running timing: 105 minutes

NATOKER MOTO The film depicts the Kolkata socio-cultural circuit spanning the years from 1950 to 1970s. It aspires to show the struggles of a female artist has to go through even after two decades of globalization. Through an investigation into the sudden demise of a reputed actress, delves into an exploration of the ceaseless conflicts a female artist has to experiences as she tries to make a place for herself in a male-dominated world.

Language: Bengali | Director: Debesh Chatterjee Produced by: Firdousul Hassan, Probal Haldar Casting: Paoli Dam, Rupa Ganguly, Rajatava Dutta Running timing: 121 minutes

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ONYO OPALAA Opalaa is married into an aristocrat family but on the night of their marriage, Shyam, her husband tells her that he is dedicated to his Lord and hence there would never be any conjugal relationship between them. One day she discovers that her husband is sexually involved with Ananta, the family priest. 25 years after Shyam’s death Ananta, arrives and asks for shelter. Opalaa insults him and he dies that night. That same day she learns something new about Atanu that changes her mind and her world.

Language: Bengali Director: Satarupa Sanyal

OTTAA (THE TRAP) Ottaal (The Trap) is an adaptation of one of Anton Chekhov’s timeless works, Vanka. Although located in the 18th century, the story has travelled in time and space to be retold in the present day at a small village in South India.

Language: Malayalam Director: Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair

PAKARAM Pakaram revolves around a 10-year-old myriad-minded boy,Tapu. He is forever wandering in a world of dreams, fantasies,and expresses himself and his reveries through his paintings. His uncle plays a pivotal role in nurturing Tapu’s dreams. His friend, Raja, is not so lucky and is sent off to a residential school for better education and upbringing. But as fate would have it, Raja comes back and the two friends are united,setting off on another dream.

Language: Bengali | Director: Sankar Debnath Produced by: Utpal Pal | Casting: Sohom Moitra, Ritesh Biswas, Arindam Halder | Running timing: 124 minutes

PRIYAMANASAM Priyamanasam focuses on one of the greatest poets who lived in Kerala during the late-17th century, Unnayi Warrier and his masterpiece, Nalacharitham Attakadha. The film gives a true and authentic record of the agony and ecstasy experienced by him while composing Nalacharitham.

After completing his masterpiece Unnayi wants to float away with no commitments and binding. But he realises that getting rid of his characters from his mind is impossible. The creator cannot separate himself from the creation.

Director: Vinod Mankara

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RADIOPETTI Radiopetti is a story of an old man, Arunachalam, who finds solace in his past, especially when listening to musical melodies of his younger days on a vintage radio set that his father gave him. One day the vicissitudes of life put a family member’s life in danger and Arunachalam is forced to choose between his family and his music, knowing he will lose one forever. He is now being torn apart, what will he chose? And will he survive his sacrifice?

Language: Tamil | Director: Hari Viswanath Produced by: HarryToonz studio | Casting: Lakshmanan,TVV Ramanujam, Shobana Mohan, Nivas Adithan Running timing: 83 min.

RAJKAHINI Rajkahini is the story of a whorehouse which fell on the Radcliffe Line, the line that divided India and Pakistan in 1947, going through villages and even homes sometimes. It tells of how Begum Jaan, the owner of the whorehouse, along with her army of whores, resists both the government’s effort to raze down their house to build a border of barbed wires, she fights till her death.

Language: Bengali | Director: Srijit Mukherji Produced by: Shree Venkatesh Films Casting: Rituparna Sengupta, Jisshu Sengupta, Saswata Chatterjee Running timing: 160 minutes

RAMSINGH CHARLIE Director: Nitin Kakkar Casting: Kumud Mishra and Divya Dutta

SOHRA BRIDGE Sohra Bridge tells the story of a daughter who embarks on a journey, across the remote expanses of North East India, looking for her father. She finds herself drawn towards a complex labyrinth of memory and imagination. Drawing from local folklores and the history of violent sectarian politics of the North East, poetry and actuality, the film conjures up a magical reality, where real gives way to the surreal, bloodshed to the poetry, memory to the imaginary, and vice versa.

Language: Bengali | Director: Bappaditya Bandopadhyay Casting: Niharka singh,Nishita Goswami,Paul Phukan

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Your Gateway To Indian Entertainment Biz I ND I A AT NAB S HO W, L AS V E G AS , APR IL 2 0 1 4

INDIAN ENTERTAINMENT BIZ GUIDE

C a nne s F i l m M a r ke t Is s u e

I NDI A @ KI DSCREEN SUM M I T NEW YORK February 2012

May 2014

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THE HEAD HUNTER The Head Hunter revolves around an old man from a forgotten tribe of India, dreaded for its practice of head hunting. When the government decides to build a road through the Old Man’s forest, he becomes a nuisance for the administration. A city-bred young official, who belongs to the same tribe, tricks him into spending a few days in the city. When he comes back everything has changed. The film questions the creation of a homogenous culture of existence and morality.

Director: Nilanjan Dattai Produced by: Nilanjan Datta, Dr. Rajiv Nag Casting: Mrigendra Konwar, Noksha Sahaam

THE SILENCE Based on a true story, the film revolves around a little girl growing up in poverty with her father in a rural area. When he’s unable to care for her himself, he sends Chini to her uncle in a nearby town, where life-changing events occur. Late at night on a local train in Mumbai, young Chini witnesses an incident that forces her face up to demons from her past. Blending past and present and with forceful drama, the film tackles crucial, taboo topics, tracing the recurring question of responsibility–or silence.

Director: Gajendra Ahire Running timing: 1h 31m

VALIYA CHIRAKULLA PAKSHIKAL The film is a partly fictionalized presentation of the great tragedy that occurred in Ksaragod District of Kerala in India,consequent upon the aerial spraying of Endosulfan, a highly toxic pesticide on cashew plantations. The spraying affected the people as well as the environment continually for two and a half decades. The film depicts the aftereffects of the pesticidespraying through the eyes of a photographer, who finally realizes that the apathy towards the plight of the victims will not end.

Language: Malayalam | Director: Bijukumar Damodaran Produced by: Dr.A.K.Pillai | Casting: Kunchacko Boban, Nedumudi Venu, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Salim Kumar

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MEDIA TRENDS EMERGING PLATFORMS POWER 100 FESTIVALS AND MARKETS FILM PRODUCTION REGIONAL CINEMA BROADCAST DIGITAL MEDIA DTH CONTENT PRODUCTION ANIMATION STUDIOS GAMING SERVICE PROVIDERS FINANCIERS & VCs MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT RADIO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES BUYERS LOCATION SERVICES GLOBAL SHOWBIZ FIRMS BANKERS ADVERTISING & MUCH MORE

PICKLE 2016

M&E HANDBOOK Pickle Handbook 2016 is a treasure guide for everyone engaged in the business of media and entertainment. It has been conceived to help your everyday business activity. It has been designed after taking inputs from industry leaders on what is needed for today’s knowledge driven showbiz. It is one of a kind reference guide that provides much more than just contact details. The book also has a comprehensive coverage of India’s media and entertainment eco system. Email to picklemag@gmail.com to know more on the guide and how to own a copy of it. It is a limited edition for the decision makers. It will also be available as an App (iOS and Android). Available from December 2015.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

W

e are delighted to present the latest issue of Pickle on the special occasion of the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Goa. IFFI will screen 187 films in world cinema section (from 89 countries).

While 47 films will be screened in the Indian Panorama section, the international competition will have 15 films from across the globe. Some of the finest and critically acclaimed films will be screened at Goa. It is pertinent to note that the Directorate of Film Festival has managed to showcase 21 films from Cannes Film Festival, 18 from Toronto International Film Festival, 14 from Berlinale and 13 from Venice. Over 20 films submitted for Oscar foreign language category will also be screened at IFFI, Goa. IFFI has constantly been engaging film and media students from Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi in professionally and creatively organizing the festival. With this, IFFI not only promotes current filmmakers but also upcoming talent. This year, IFFI has tied up with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to conduct masterclasses by experts in different domains of filmmaking.

Film Bazaar, in its 9th edition, will be focusing on more than 150 film projects

at various stages under film labs, coproduction market, viewing room and industry screening. Film Bazaar is aimed at facilitating collaboration in the realm of production and distribution.

Delegates from 38 countries will be participating in the Bazaar from November 20-24.

These are exciting times to be in the film business. The Indian media ecosystem is changing fast. There are few markets in the world where you could see both traditional and new media flourishing.

There are 800 TV channels, 500,000 hours of TV content output, 350 million Internet users (215 million use mobile phone for Internet access), 950 million mobile phones (550 million active mobile users, 150 million top-end smart phone users), 94,000 newspapers published daily, 1,200 feature films. And, Indian start-up ecosystem is beginning to mature specially in the digital media and ecommerce space.

The Over-the-Top (OTT) space is gaining attraction in the Indian market with the presence of hotstar, ErosNow, Ditto TV, HOOQ, Sony LIv. ALT Digital, Yupp TV among others. Viacom Play Plex, Amazon, Netflix and Hulu are closely looking at entering Indian market.

India is happening place now. Make in India, Show the World. It’s time do some serious business.

n vidyasagar

pickle media nvidyasagar@picklemag.in, www.picklemag.com Pickle Volume IX 5th edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com  Mumbai  Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

Printed by Bon Graphics New #7, Arumugam Nagar, Dayalan Garden, Chinna Porur, Chennai – 600 116 Mobile: +91 9884816263 Email: bon_graphics@yahoo.co.in

Editorial Coordinators : M Sai Interns: R Berlin Jeris; U Ramya Sree Email: natvid@gmail.com

For advertising: natvid@gmail.com

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Pickle Handbook 2015 Copyright 2015 by Pickle Media Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Pickle is an ad supported business guide tracking the filmed entertainment business in India.

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