INTERVIEW
Archana
PHADKE: THROUGH HER LENS
Interview By Armin S.
AN ALUMNA OF BERLINALE TALENT CAMPUS, ARCHANA RECENTLY RELEASED HER UNIQUE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY - ‘ABOUT LOVE’ WHICH IS CURRENTLY STREAMING ON MUBI. THE FILM IS A PERSONAL CAPTURING OF PHADKE’S OWN FAMILY IN AN OBSERVATIONAL PORTRAIT STYLE - CAPTURING THE STORIES OF THE THREE GENERATIONS OF HER FAMILY THAT LIVE TOGETHER IN MUMBAI. THE DOCUMENTARY, WHICH MARKS HER DEBUT AS A FEATURE DIRECTOR, PREMIERED AT THE SHEFFIELD DOC FEST, WHICH IS AN OSCAR QUALIFYING FESTIVAL. THE FILM WON THE NEW TALENT AWARD AT THE FESTIVAL AND ALSO WON THE BEST FILM ASIAN PERSPECTIVE AWARD AT DMZ DOCS FESTIVAL. SHE HAS PREVIOUSLY WON THE NATIONAL AWARD FOR ‘PLACEBO’, A DOCUMENTARY SHE PRODUCED. AND I TAKE A BREATH – BUT WHAT IS IT REALLY LIKE BEHIND ALL THE ACCOLADES? IT’S PERSISTENCE, A LITTLE BIT OF CRAZY, AND A WHOLE LOT OF CONVICTION TO SURVIVE AND POTENTIALLY THRIVE IN THE INDEPENDENT FILM WORLD. I GET CHATTING WITH HER ABOUT A TERRITORY THAT IS SEEMINGLY FAMILIAR TO ME. 34
