A peep into the Wonderous World of Cinema Hyderabad
www.cfsindia.org
Issue: 6
November 19, 2011
Children’s film festivals were successful only if they had films that were not preachy and provided something spectacular, says Nandita environment which was very conducive for festivals of this kind. Referring to complaints about projection, Mr Banerjee said that these were mostly of a technical nature and had been overcome. Festival Coordinator Ms Monica Wahi and Shilparamam Special Officer Mr G N Rao also addressed the meet.
Gajju’s Programme today
T
he excitement and the smiles on the faces of children attending the International Children’s film Festival and the fact that they are learning something at the same time bring great satisfaction, the Children’s Film Society, India, Chairperson Ms Nandita Das and Chief Executive Officer Sushovan Banerjee say. Ms Das said at a press meet here that the aim was to ensure fun films that served as an alternative to the sordid programming that children were forced to on television whose remote was in the hands of the elders. Films that appeared to be preaching were not preferred, though all films taught something. The children – especially those from smaller towns – were learning so much at the Festival and language appeared to be no barrier at the workshops. She said all the theatres in the city were packed. Meanwhile, she released a set of five DVDs containing three films each from the archives of the CFSI. She said that the CFSI had 250 films in its library including some acquired films. Films made by CFSI were also being dubbed in other Indian languages with the help of a Pune-based organization.
Children's Film Society, India
Mr Banerjee said the CFSI had restored 21 old films as part of the National Heritage Mission of the Government. Seventeen or eighteen of these were marketable and therefore these would be brought out in DVDs.
Workshops Film Making- Dining Hall, 2.30-5.30 pm l Script Writing l Art Gallery, 2.30-4.30 pm & 4.30-6.30 pm Film Appreciation l Shilparamam Garden, 2.30-4.30 pm
The number of DVDs would be doubled in the next phase and all the films would be out in DVDs within two or three years. The DVDs had been brought out in collaboration with Shemaroo. They were priced at Rs 399 for three films in one DVD, Rs 299 for two films in a DVD or Rs 149 for single films in a DVD. Reacting to a question relating to content suitable for adults in some of the films, Ms Das and Mr Banerjee said that children today know more about life than we had known as young people. Each screening committee had educators amongst the members and they had approved these films. Both the Chairperson and the CEO referred to the cultural programmes which were on at the Lalitha Kala Thoranam and NITHM and said a large number of children were attending these programmes. Referring to the new venue for the Festival at Shilparamam, Ms Das referred to the
Animation l Shilpakala Vedika basement, 4.306.30pm Puppet Making l Art Gallery, 2.30-4.30 pm & 4.30-6.30pm
Press Meet Media Centre, Shilpakala Vedika, Mangesh l
Hadawale, Director of the film ‘Dekh Indian Circus’ -11.00 am
Shyam l
Benegal, Director ‘Charandas Chor’ -12.30 pm
Kerala l
Minister for Social Welfare Dr M K Muneer -3.30 pm
Vishal l
Bhardwaj, CFSI Executive Committee member - 4.30 pm
Open Forum at Sampradaya Vedika, 4.30 pm Bridging Differences through Children’s Cinema
Screening Schedule Magic Land, Rock Heights, Shilparamam Date
Time
Name of Film
19th
9:30 am
Digari (The Other)
CI
Mins
Age
84
10+
11:30 am
De Sterkste Man Van Nederland (The Strongest Man in Holland)
CI
80
13+
2:30 pm
Les Contes De Lanuit (Tales of the Night)
CI
84
10+
Mins
Age
106 4 4 15 2 9 7 7 101
10+ 6+ 6+ 6+ 6+ 6+ 6+ 6+ 10+
Wonder Land, Rock Heights, Shilparamam Date
Time
Name of Film
19th
9:30 am 12:00 pm
Dekh Indian Circus (Watch Indian Circus) Fancock 4 Scream V Halloween Night Tellu (A Boy who Applies Oil) Kabhi Socha Hai (Stop and Think!) Nishadam (The Savage) Thulyam (Equal) Dhanam (Wealth) Taryanche Bait (Island of Stars)
2:30 pm
IC LD LD LD LD LD LD LD IC
Dream Land, Rock Heights, Shilparamam Date
Time
Name of Film
19th
9:30 am 12:30 pm
Charandas Chor (Charandas The Thief) In a Heartbeat Land of the Fireflies Chandani und ihr Elephant (Chandani-The Daugher of the Elephant Whisperer)
2:30 pm
Mins
Age
CW SC SC
155 8 24
10+ 10+ 10+
CW
88
10+
CI-Competition International IC-India Competition SC-Shorts Competition LD-Little Director CW-Children's World IFC-In Focus China
What I recommend for today…..and why The Other Director: Mehdi Rahmani | Iran / 2010 / Col. / 84 mins A young boy and his soon to be stepfather come close to each other when they are forced to go on a trip to the capital city, Tehran, as the two must work together to sell a van. The Strongest Man In Holland Director: Mark de Cloe | Netherlands / 2010 / Col. / 8o mins Searching for his father with the help of the school’s tallest girl Minke, the short
Children's Film Society, India
statured Luuk learns that strength comes in many different forms as he gains confidence. Tales of the Night Director: Michel Ocelot | France / 2010 / Col. / 84 mins A girl, a boy, and an old technician get together every evening in a small deserted movie theatre and conjure up new forms of entertainment – acting, dressing, drawing or anything catching their fancy. Watch Indian Circus Director: Mangesh Hadawale | India / 2011 / Col. / 106 mins Ghumroo does not care for studies, and his
sister Panni wants to go to the circuls. But they realize the problems of life as the mother spends time maintaining their open-air desert home and the father who is a mute works long hours on a road crew, suffering many indignities in silence. Fancock 4 Director: Mehdi Rahmani | India / 2011 / Col. / 4 mins Fancock and his friend Trinity are sent to Planet Earth to save it f ro m t h e E v i l Olympus. One day as Trinity is in school, the evil spirits arrive.
Scream V Halloween Night Director: Shantanu Sharma | India / 2011 / Col. / 4 mins W h a t frightens me is not the obvious monster, but the unknown, the fear that the mind is not in control, that there is something out there that nobody knows about. A Boy who Applies Oil Director: Ajinkya Hukerikar, Aastha Jain, Maitri Dave | India / 2011 / Col. / 20 mins ‘ Te l l u ’ , w h o applies a lot of oil on his head, is always teased in school by a group of bullies. So he decides to join the gang, ignoring his best friend. Stop and Think! Director: Ashwani Bandhu, Aman, Aditya Kumar Singh, Prashant Mohan, Harsh Anand, Soni Mahajan, Simran, Tanya Sharma, Khushboo Hanjura, Bhupender Singh, Nitin Kaushik, Mohd. Irfan, Rajbala Singh, Babita Pun, Akshay Kumar, Pooja Kumari, Alka Sharma, Sonam Chauhan, Sonia Singh, Nisha Singh, Sabila Khan |India / 2010 / Col. / 2 mins
Nobody wants to have anything to do with ten-year old Kunjumol, living with her grandmother, who suffers from AIDS: even her classmates who were once her friends. Equal Director: Lekshmi, Anju Mol, Liya Elizabeth, Jwala Parameshwaran, Shaharbana | India / 2011 / Col. / 7 mins Saadhana’ grandmother and mother fuss over her brother and ignore her as she is a girl. But her father encourages her and things change when she wins a prestigious scholarship. Wealth Director: Bismi, Aishwarya, Athira, Aswathy, Durga | India / 2011 /Col. / 7 mins A prospective groom and his family visit Aswathy’s house and ‘approve’ her. Her parents must now mortgage their house to arrange for the hefty dowry. Island of Stars Director: Kiran Yadnopavit | India / 2010 / Col. / 101 mins
Stop and Think and Plant a Sapling!
Shreedhar is a clerk and lives a happy, content life with his family in a beautiful Konkan village till they visit Mumbai and his son insists on staying in a five-star hotel. The father says he can do so if he stands first in the class.
The Savage Director: Vishnupriya, Himachandran, Nincy, Anaka, Aasmi India / 2011 / Col. / 9 mins
Charandas The Thief Director: Shyam Benegal | India / 1974 / Black & White / 155 mins
To get out of a tricky situation, Charandas makes five vows to his guru: he would never eat in a gold plate, never lead a procession that is in his honour, never become a king, never marry a princess and never to tell a lie. But life has something else in store for him. In A Heartbeat Director: Karolina Lewicka | Iceland / 2010 / Col. / 8 mins A lonely girl who has no friends watches her classmates play from a distance, but overcomes her fears when she sees a little boy being bullied by two older boys. Land of the Fireflies Director: Haroon Habib | Pakistan / 2011 / Col. / 24 mins A 15 year old boy co l l e c t s s c ra p near an industrial area by taking away the cycle of an old man who is sleeping. But one day the cycle disappears. Chandani-The Daugher of the Elephant Whisperer Director: Arne Birkenstock | Germany / 2009 / Col. / 88 mins Chandani mahout father in Sri Lanka gives her the charge of an elephant calf Kandula and she learns to look after elephants from the ranger Mohammed. But then Kandula is taken away.
“Take Movies to districts and villages too” states MP Madhu Yashki
C
Parliament, Urging for extension of the Festival beyond Hyderabad, he added, “It is difficult for students from districts and villages to come to the city. So I have recommended that the Chief Minister should select some of the best films and send them across the districts for screening.”
hildren are India’s future. This is very important for them. I’m very happy for the festive atmosphere around.
Hearing those words, coming from Member of Parliament Mr Madhu Yashki Goud, I felt so proud that I was being noticed even by a Parliamentarian. Addressing a press meet, he said: “The most important thing is Hyderabad has become the stage for such a grand festival. Being the IT hub of the state, it plays host to all the guests, delegates and students across the globe. The
Government is doing all it can to promote and encourage the filmmakers.” He expressed his gratitude to the organizers for inviting him as a representative of
He was happy that the Government was promoting message-oriented films. He admitted that he was a big movie buff and was looking forward to seeing these films. -Sneha Nemali
Children's Film Society, India
Every child can make a film because every child can express parents, and being disciplined and organized were common problems. The main setback was in understanding the technicalities and working on the script. The struggle continued from scratch to the very end. They agreed that having better equipment may have helped, but asked ‘What is the use of such equipment when we do not have the required experience?”
A
re these the filmmakers of tomorrow, or have they already taken the first steps to fame? If anything, everyone who heard those young geniuses was convinced that every child can make films because every child has something to express. The young entrepreneurs included some whose films are featured in the new competitive section ‘Little Directors’. And though some elders also featured in the Open Forum on Little Directors, it was the little masters who dominated the discussion. The children talked about pre-production, production and post-production of their films. They talked about their problems; and the experience, support, and inspiration that guided them. The films in the section are ‘Fancock 4’ by Ansh Mehra and Shrey Gupta,
‘The Adventure of Eddie and Curt’ by Sumer Rai and Shiven Naraat, ‘Hamari Duniya’ by Ramashankar Gupta and Ashur Mochan, ‘Subbu’s Noodles” by Sanjana Abraham, “Nishadam” by Vishnu Priya, “Thulyam” by Lea Elizabith Teddison, and “Dhanam” by Aishwarya Raj. Interestingly, all the films deal with serious issues from conservation of water, social issues like dowry, gender equality, AIDS awareness and bullying to light hearted issues about making friends and school. The courage to choose such subjects shows the determination of these kids to bring about a revolution in the existing scenario. Asked about the hurdles they faced while shooting, it became clear that child actors being non-actors new to camera, convincing
Some said they drew inspiration from Subhash Ghai’s films. They were grateful that their teachers encouraged them on seeing their talent. The schools provided most of the facilities like an audio-visual room and dubbing suite. Ben, a young director from Chicago, said that passion verges on desperation and films wary with culture, quality, passion and curiosity. Dr Mohan Agashe who is chairing the Little Directors jury said “News is fiction but movies are real”. He suggested that every school of India should teach artwork of camera. Director-music director Vishal Bhardwaj said, “What do I say when these kids are coming up with such wise answers. If we had also been exposed to such opportunities, we would have been at par.” - Swathi Rama & Smrati Thakur
Distributors do not come forward to project children’s cinema concerned as very few distributors were interested to take up children’s films. They say, “We lack the encouragement. We make films with so much of love and care, but it all drops when you have no distributors.”
W
hile commercial films have distributors lining up to take these films, children’s films have to face difficulties in trying to find buyers. Directors Majeed Gulistan and Vinda Pg of “The Bird Catcher” and “The Lotus Pond” respectively said they had prepared themselves for facing failure as far as commercial release of the films was
Majeed Gulistan said “This is a children’s film with a difference. It has adventure, thrills and it is also an insight on the ongoing environmental issues. We collected students from various schools and conducted workshops and the talent they showcased is amazing.” The film talks about the impact of globalization on ethnic culture. The film’s producer Dhirubhai said, “There are two main reasons: I love children. They are guidelines for tomorrow’s today. I wanted to display the present environmental issues too.”
The Director of “The Lotus Pond” said, “I wrote the script in 2001 and the hunt. It is because of Nitin Kumar that I am here today. As a student of photography, I had attended the 13th edition of this film festival and fell in love with films instantly. It motivated me to create films of high standard.” Nitin Kumar said he had not cared about commercial success when he agreed to finance the film. - SN
Edited by B.B. Nagpal on behalf of the Children’s Film Society, India, Films Division Complex, 24, Dr.G.D. Marg, Mumbai-400 026. Design Seshu Kumar MVV, Satya T, Guru J Photos Kotnis Murali Krishna, Chillam Charla Suresh Kumar, D.S. Chakravarthi, D. Yuva Raj Designed & Produced by Efforts, 11-6-872, Red Hills, Lakdikapul, Hyderabad-500 004. www.efforts.co.in Festival Office CFSI, Camp: Shilparamam, Madhapur, Hyderabad.
Children's Film Society, India