Best Regional Motion Picture
So here it is; time
for the big one!
First of all, let me
just say; what another phenomenal year it has been for cinema around India. I
had the great pleasure of being at the Mumbai Film Festival this year and there
were some phenomenal films in the festival from different languages from around
the country. These films are not in contention though as they are as of yet
unreleased to the mass public
These films on a
constant basis strive to excel in multiple areas and have proven to be a
challenge to the waning power of Hindi cinema. It's truly a good time to be a
film lover in India.
The five films
nominated are just the tip of the iceberg of this change. Other films also take
center stage with brilliance. I decided also to nominate each film from a
different language in interest of fairness, which means that some real gems
sadly missed out.
Here are the
honorable mentions;
Killa [Marathi],
Baahubali: The Beginning [Telegu], OK Kanmani [Tamil], Papanasam [Tamil],
Belaseshe [Bengali]
As for those I
couldn't see, I apologize.
Now onto the award
of the night, The Best Regional Motion Picture; and the nominees are…
Johanna Rexin,
Thierry Lenouvel and Bero Beyer for Qissa: The Tale of A Lonely Ghost [Punjabi]
The physical lines
of border; between them and us. The mental lines of identity; between he and
she. The spiritual lines of the world; between reality and fantasy. The never
ending cycle of torment humanity inflicts upon itself and its loved ones.
Qissa balances
between these lines with its heart and crux at the rape and disintegration of a
family ruled by years of pain and heartbreak. Of it's unrelenting patriarch in
search of his identity to dignify his legacy, of his so called "son"
on his search of identity to "his" reality and of the silent women,
suffering in between.
It cannot be said
enough that Qissa balances a great weight of emotions and painful truths and
profound themes; crafting a flawed masterpiece for the ages.
Vivek Gomber for
Court [Marathi]
In the theater of
the absurd, reality is a harsh comical thing and nothing depicts that further
than Court.
Even without knowing
it; you are watching a complete farce, a comedy for the ages. As dry and as
documented as it can be. Even without knowing it; you are watching a tragic
downfall, deconstruction of our flawed system, a drama for the ages. As real
and as documented as can be.
Court's brilliance
is realized in its first and final scenes; two men of a vast class difference
working or having worked hard; one whose fight that can never be over [you can
guess which side of the class ladder he falls on] and the other who can leave it
all in court.
Yet it doesn't
matter, we are never welcome to judge them. That's the beauty of this film,
that's the beauty of reality too.
Jonaki Bhattacharya,
Aditya Vikram Sengupta and Sanjay Shah for Asha Jaoar Majhe [Bengali]
Senses are what play
in the mind when this lyrical piece takes form. A silent film that invites its
audience to not just watch but observe and absorb the visual feast along with
smelling, feel and truly listen to the heart of this piece.
Asha Jaoar Majhe is
indeed a Labor of Love and this effect pours through in every soft but profound
frame; painting the picture of a marriage bereft of ever being consummated in
mind, body and soul yet thrusting forward with an unbridled passionate yearning
for just a glimpse of one's lover.
It's powerful stuff
made simple by the complex analysis of a craft and how well to form it into a
complete portrait of a marriage that stays strong through what seems like the
calmest storms, but the one's with the strongest waves.
Dhanush and
Vetrimaaran for Kaaka Muttai [Tamil]
Sometimes cinema
needs to be just lovable, sometimes it needs to be subtle yet profound and
sometimes "Children's" films have to stop becoming condescending.
Rarely will one feel
that in Indian cinema, until this day and age; Kaaka Muttai is on that level.
One that a rare count of films can reach. Piercing into the profound
differences that hinder the aspirations of lower class slum dwelling children
is a hearty thing to do, but piercing into the simpler differences in just
luxury between classes of children has a richer flavor to it.
The textures of this
film, play to that tune. It's all about a Pizza, but beneath that it's more;
it's about opportunity, about chance, about struggle, about perceptions but it
never feels so because we're not children being told a harsh truth or a lesson.
We're children allowed to imagine, to dream, to hope and to eventually learn
and laugh with the characters on screen.
It might not be your
story, my story or our reality but for that one fleeting moment Manikandan
makes it so. In the moment the film always has an audience with a soul.
K Mohan and Vinod
Vijayan for Ottaal: The Trap [Malyalam]
An experiential
moment spent amongst innocent eyes can bring such pain, who knew?
Sometime the hardest
things to watch are those that come with the laughter, cheers and smiles of the
nostalgic naivety of childhood right before reality kicks in. Ottaal weaves
that wicked trap on not only its protagonist but its audience as well.
Spellbound by the
adventures, persistence and intelligence of a young mind and then captured with
weeping eyes and a bleeding heart by the cruel fate that awaits him.
Without ever knowing
it, without preaching it; one is left with the understanding of a suffering of
a certain group in our real lives. The fact that it's innocent lives hurts much
worse and we're stirred into action. If that's what the filmmaker wants, it's
what he gets.
And the Winner is…
Vivek Gomber, Chaitanya Tamhane and Team
for
Court!
After sweeping some
major awards, was it any surprise. The Marathi film is a grand step forward for
the industry as a whole and for Indian cinema, having been sent to the Academy
Awards this year.
Sadly for the lack
of resources and support from home ground, it was unable to make the impact
that it should have.
Anyways it's a
masterpiece, all these films are including those that couldn't make the
nomination ballot.
Up Next: The
forgotten one...The HIndie Award for Best Short Film
'Nuff Said
Aneesh Raikundalia
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