Jahangirabad Media Institute

Celebration of light and sound, diwali at JMI

Poetry - A Classic Film by Lee Chang Dong

Many of you have heard about Lee Chang Dong, a Korean Film Director. He started his career as a novelist. His novels are very popular in Korea. Then like our M.T Vasudhevan Nair, he turned towards writing scripts for cinema. He wrote script for one  of the best political films ever produced in Korea - A Single Spark, directed by master film maker Park Kwang-su. He then became a film director. All his films are based on extremely sensitive stories. Peppermint Candy and Oasis were my favorite Lee Chang Dong movies till last year. This year he has presented an amazing cinematic work- POETRY, which is one my favorite Korean movies ever produced in Korean Language.

 

"Poetry" is about an old lady. Her dream is to write one poem before she dies. She is staying with her grand son in a small town. One day she finds that cultural center in her city is organising a part-time course on "How to write Poetry". She joins the course and tries very hard to write a poem. She was not able to remember words and medical check up shows that she has alzheimer's disease. She can't remember words but she wants to write poetry. 

 

Parallel to this storyline there are many other incidents happening in her life. Her grand son who is a high school boy gets into a rape case and the rape victim suicides. She has to give a large amount of compensation to the victim's mother to settle the case. She is a housemaid, how can she make such a huge sum?  Moreover her grand son does not have any guilty feeling about the crime. The film leads us to personal tragedies of the lady. The film has an excellent climax. 

 

This year the film got best screen play award in Cannes Film Festival. Must see film....

Announcement of National Science Film Festival

Dear Friend,

Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India in collaboration with Jahangirabad Media Institute is organizing Rashtriya Vigyan Chalchitra Mela and Competition. It will take place during the Indian Science Congress at Chennai from the 4th to the 7th of January 2011. This competition is organized to felicitate, nurture, recognize and encourage science film producers for their outstanding work. It will bring out the best science and technology video films produced in the country and set a benchmark for excellence. The festival is open to all producers, organizations and individuals, as well as production agencies. An exclusive website (www.rvcm.org) has been launched for the film festival.

Awards will be given in three competition categories: Popular Science Program (duration more than 20 min), Short Film on Science and Technology (duration less than 20 min) and Animation and Graphic film/video on Science and Technology. The best film in each category will receive the Golden Beaver Award with a cash prize of Rs.50,000/-, the second best film will receive a cash prize of Rs.30,000/- and the third prize will be Rs.20,000/-. The last date for receiving entry is December 3, 2010.

Thank you.

With warm regards,

G. Biju Mohan
Deputy Director, JMI
www.rvcm.org
infojahanemedia@gmail.com

JMI editing room

Irriversible

Photo taken at Jahangirabad Bridge during JMI photography workshop

Evening Bridge

The photograph was taken at Jahangirabad Bridge during JMI Photography Workshop

origin of Cinema - an invention and an amusement

സിനിമയുടെ ഉത്ഭവം, വികാസം ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ ഒരു പ്രതേക ദിശ സന്ധിയെ പ്രതിനിധാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. photography യുടെ വികാസം, മനുഷന്റെയും മറ്റു ജീവികളുടെയും ചലനങ്ങളെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള പഠനങ്ങള്‍, കാഴ്ച്ച എന്ന പ്രതിഭാസത്തെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള പഠനങ്ങള്‍, സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യയുടെ അസാധാരണമായ വളര്‍ച്ച, വേഗത്തിലുള്ള വിവര വിനിമയം, വിപണിയുടെ മത്സരങ്ങള്‍, ഉയര്‍ന്നു വന്ന മധ്യ വര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തിന്റെ സ്വാധീനം, സമൂഹത്തിലെ ഒരു വലിയ വിഭാഗമായ തൊഴിലാളി വര്‍ഗം സമരങ്ങളുടെ ഫല മായി ആര്‍ജ്ജിച്ചെടുത്ത Free time - ഇവയെല്ലാം സിനിമയുടെ വളര്‍ച്ചക്ക് വഴിയൊരുക്കി. ആഗോളികരണം മൂലം വ്യാപാര ബന്ധങ്ങളില്‍ ഉണ്ടായ വളര്‍ച്ച, പുതിയ വിപണികളെ തേടിയുള്ള യാത്രകള്‍ സിനിമയെ ഒരു universal വിനോദ ഉപാധി ആക്കി മാറ്റി. Lumiere സഹോദരന്മാര്‍ ആദ്യ സിനിമയുടെ പ്രദശനം പാരിസില്‍ നടത്തിയതിനു 6 മാസത്തിന്നുള്ളില്‍ സിനിമ മുംബൈയിലും എത്തിച്ചേര്‍ന്നു.

ഒരു കലയായിട്ടല്ല സിനിമയുടെ ജനനം. ഒരു തനി വിനോദ ഉപാധി. it was an invention and an amusement. Lumiere സഹോദരന്മാരുടെ വിശ്വാസം തന്നെ ഇതായിരുന്നു - "ഭാവി ഇല്ലാത്തതാണ് സിനിമ". ആളുകളുടെ അതിശയം തീരും മുന്‍പ് ആവും വിധം എല്ലാം കാശ് ഉണ്ടാകണം. ഇതിനായി Lumiere സഹോദരന്മാര്‍ വളരെ വേഗം തന്നെ തന്റെ പ്രതിനിധികളെ ലോകത്തിലെ മുഖ്യ നഗരങ്ങളിലെല്ലാം അയച്ചു സിനിമ പ്രദശനം നടത്തി, ആവുന്നത്ര ലാഭം കൊയ്തു. Lumiere സഹോദരന്മാര്‍ തങ്ങള്‍ കണ്ടു പിടിച്ച ഫിലിം പ്രോജെക്ടര്‍ മറ്റാര്‍ക്കും വില്‍ക്കാന്‍ തയ്യാറായില്ല. പകരം തങ്ങളുടെ പ്രതിനിധികളെ ലോകത്തിലെ വിവിധ നഗരങ്ങളില്‍ അയച്ചു സിനിമ പ്രദര്‍ശനം സംഘടിപിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു. മോസ്ക്കോ, മുംബൈ, ബീജിംഗ് തുടങ്ങിയ നഗരങ്ങളില്‍ നാടകം പോലുള കലാ പ്രദര്‍ശനങ്ങള്‍ നടക്കുന്ന ഹാളുകളെ താത്കാലിക സിനിമ ഹാള്കളാക്കി മാറ്റി സിനിമ പ്രദര്‍ശിപ്പികുകയായിരുന്നു.

അന്ന് നിര്‍മ്മിക്കപെട്ടിരുന്നത് "ഒറ്റ ഷോട്ട്" സിനിമകള്‍ ആയിരുന്നു. ഒരു റീല്‍ അവസാനിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ഒരു സിനിമ അവസാനിക്കും. അത്തരം 5 -6 സിനിമകള്‍ ചേര്‍ത്ത് ഒരു പാക്കേജ് ആയി ആണ് ഓരോ പ്രദര്‍ശനവും സംഘടിപിചിരുന്നത്.

Letter from Gauhar Raza regarding Jahangirabad Media Institute

Dear Friends,

In our country we have witnessed stupendous rise of private investments in television industry after new economic policies were carried out. During this period the face of Indian media has changed altogether. It emerged as the single most effective tool of mass communication which governs the public opinion and dictates the functioning of our democratic society.

As a fourth estate of the democratic society we expected that media will play a role to strengthen our secular, democratic and egalitarian values. But unfortunately the main stream media has not fulfilled the task which they are suppose to perform. Instead of becoming the voice of the voiceless, more often than not media has upheld the upper class and upper caste interests. When the recent reservation ‘controversy’ erupted, biased reporting by the media evoked great concern not only among social activists but also created impact on common citizen of the country.

The studies during the time showed that the representation of lower class and lower caste in of media firms (in editorial positions) is too low. It is also came to notice that almost no media training centers are functioning in rural India where students from marginalized sections of society can get training.

To fill the void, under the umbrella of Jahangirabad Education Trust, Jahangirabad Media Institute was established in 2005. JMI encourages creative, secular, scientific bent of mind, socially conscious media which will contribute to the building India’s future “Fourth Estate”. The institute’s mission is to elevate, innovate, pioneer and support the spreading of a secular and progressive media culture.

JMI provides a creative and dynamic atmosphere where ideas can flow transparently and without barriers. JMI will catapult creative students to meet demands of international and national media needs. It offers modern technology, state of the arts infrastructure, a team of experienced and dynamic faculty, the crème de la crème of media practitioners and comprehensive courseware.

JMI is going to start a full time residential course in Television Programme Production. It is a comprehensive course in media which covering all aspects of Television Programme Production. The students can specialize in

1) Videography

2) Non-linear editing

3) Sound Recording and Mixing

4) Direction

5) News reporting

The course will cover theory and practical lessons enabling students to gain hands on experience in the latest technologies in media. To meet out the needs of the industry the curriculum of the course is based on workshops. By the end of each workshop students will produce an output in the form of a script, video sequence, project report, etc. which will give them understanding of the latest techniques in video programme production and enrich their portfolio.

JMI associates itself with social movements like OXFAM, ACTIONAID, GREENPEACE, NYKS and BGVS in their humanitarian campaigns. During the course, JMI encourages its students to take part in the campaigns of these organizations. JMI also hosts seminars and workshops in collaboration with these fraternal organizations at its campus.

We are looking forward to your support. We can together create a more humane society.

With Warm Regards

Gauhar Raza

Honorarory Director

JMI

www.jmi.edu.in

Suneesh got State Television Award

If you remember, last year i have introduced Suneesh Surendran and his documentary film "Day 3" in one of my blog posts. Today Kerala State Govt has announced Television Awards for the year 2008. Suneesh was selected as best documentary film director for this documentary. lets celebrate..!!

Let me repost my earlier write up on Suneesh

Suneesh Surendran is my very close friend. He is now working in Rose bowl channel. His latest documentary was screened in the international video film festival at Trivandrum. it is a shocking documentary about killing of street dogs in a remote village in Trivandrum. the whole documentary was shot in a day and made within a week. This documentary was telecasted many times in the channel.This time also Suneesh has proved his sense of sound and visual framing through this documentary. He got the craft with him but subject wise lacks depth. He is one of the rare documentary film makers in kerala who uses sound extremely sensible manner. In a way he plays with close ups and sound. His earlier documentary got special jury award in Malayalam Television Awards given by Kerala Govt.

I think he has the caliber to become a very good film director in malayalam. He has the talent to bring aesthetic changes in malayalam film industry..... Hope he will get the opportunity and exposure...

Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities

a) Impacts of multiplex boom
Multiplexes have introduced new marketing and exhibition possibilities in front of Indian film industry. The commercial operations of India’s first multiplex-PVR Anupam launched on June 1997 at Saket, New Delhi. Now there are more than 100 multiplexes operating in India. Multiple screens in multiplexes have created new spaces for low budget and art films. Before, those films can’t be screened in major theatres because they usually do not pull as much viewers to the theatre. Big theatres can’t function if the viewer attendance is mediate or low. But screens with lesser seats are very suitable for low budgets films. It will promote production of art cinema in near future.
But multiplexes are alienating lower class from theatres. This growth of the multiplexes has resulted in the average ticket prices to rise as high as Rs. 220 (US$ 4.5) from a low of Rs. 25 (US$ 6 cents). Due to the heavy ticket charge majority of population can’t approach multiplexes. Their dependence on television and cable network is increasing drastically. Majority of films are also targeted to a particular section of society (who has purchasing capacity). It will contribute the rise of the class difference in society. So the democratic space created by traditional theatres is vanishing gradually from cities. In Indian context it will create negative impact in a long run.

b) Digital Cinema- new possibilities

India is on the verge of becoming the largest digital theatre country in the world - a revolutionary opportunity waiting to be tapped by potential investors. For a country as large as India, film distribution and exhibition is a completely different ball game. Today around 12,000 theatres in the country are being serviced by around 300 celluloid prints released for a mainstream commercial film. As these prints are insufficient, they are first released in ‘A’ class cities and thereafter re-circulated to the ‘B’ and ‘C’ class cities in the country. After having run for a couple of weeks in ‘A’ class cities, the quality of such prints deteriorates considerably. This impacts the occupancy rates in the already run-down theatres and also the ticket prices. Further, during the period when the new releases are running in the ‘A’ class cities, pirated copies from these celluloid prints are developed to cater to such audiences in the ‘B’ and ‘C’ class cities. But all this is now set to change. Theatres across the country are now going digital thanks to the pioneering initiatives by companies such as Mukta Adlabs and few others. Such companies are now taking control over these run-down theatres in ‘B’ and ‘C’ class cities and up-grading them to a digital theatre. The costs of upgrading to a digital theatre costs is estimated at about US$ 22 thousand per theatre, which requires the installation of a digital projector and server to run the digital prints. As a result of such digitalisation, such theatres are able to obtain prints at the same time that the film is released. This coupled with superior quality is resulting in higher occupancy rates and higher ticket prices. As most companies are working on a revenue-share basis, the break-even time for such projects is estimated to be less than two years.

As a result of the digital projection system, the quality of the films being screened has shot up significantly impacting the occupancy rates, which have been reported to increase to almost 50 per cent in some of these large-seating single screen theatres. Since the films are screened at the same time the films is released nation-wide, theatre owners now have the wherewithal to charge higher ticket prices as well. Film processing companies are also gearing up to cater to this potential demand of churning out digital prints. The cost of producing a digital film is estimated to be a fourth of the cost of a celluloid print- hence the film producer too is excited as now he is able to generate a much larger number of prints than earlier. This not only helps in a larger release of his film but more significantly able to curb the menace of piracy which was depleting his box office collections by almost 90 per cent. If one were to aggregate the number of theatres that are planned for the digital conversion, this would aggregate to about 10 per cent of the theatres in the country today. Hence, the balance 90 per cent of the theatres is waiting to be digitalized!
Digital revolution can also provide alternative display spaces for digital films that bear potential as a distinct genre. Redefining film form and content, digital films could prompt and occupy viewing spaces as differing from conventional films. It will also promote ‘walk through’ films that require simultaneous projection on more than one screen, not necessarily of conventional theatre size.

ill-effect of solar eclipse

During Annular Solar Eclipse (ASE), two scientists in Delhi have demonstrated the ill-effect of solar eclipse on your financial condition.

Treeless Mountain

One month back, when I started seeing “Treeless Mountain”, I feel very uneasy in the first 10-20 minutes. It was series of “close-ups”, my eyes longed for long shots, but rarely saw one. Close-up after close-up, I find myself in an uncomfortable situation (maybe it is not the way I trained my eyes to watch a movie). But the cute girls in the film hold me tight in my seat. Their innocent faces told me to tolerate for some more time and I obeyed. The result was quiet interesting….after sometime I forget about the “narrow field of view” and started involve in the film. The girls lead me to the reality of life. They said “Do not live in a world where you dreamed to live…live in your real world, even how bitter it is. Many things, you can’t change but they can change you. Sometimes in the hardness of life you can find softness of humanity”.
Treeless Mountain is a children movie….but it is different from other children movies. 80% of film is made up of close-ups of the children. The plot of the film is similar to that of many other children films, where the main protagonists (children) have to suffer as they are forced(by the situation) to live away from their parents…… Here the protagonists are two small girls, who were send to their Big Aunt’s (father’s sister) house, when their mother needs to leave in order to find their estranged father. The mother gave a ‘piggy bank” (sambadya kudukka) to the children and promise to return when it is full. The girls are forced to acclimate to changes in their life. Counting the days, and the coins, the two bright-eyed young girls eagerly anticipate their mother's homecoming. But when the bank fills up, and with their mother still not back, they get frustrated. They say to themselves “Mummy is a liar”. Big Aunt decides that she can no longer tend to the children and took them to their grandparents' home. Here they come to learn the difficulty of life and softness of human relationships. In the end I felt it is a beautiful, meditative, and thought-provoking film. There was no music in the film…..the director decided only to use ambience sound.
film is directed by So Yong Kim, who is well known for her earlier film "In Between Days" . See her interview about making of this film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osp92F4jC1M.

some good hindi films

1) Alber Pinto ko gussa kyon ata hai (1980) - Saeed Mirza സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത ഈ സിനിമയെ അവിസ്മരണീയമാകുനത് നസറുദീന്‍ ഷാ യുടെ അഭിനയമാണ്. class conflict നെ address ചെയ്യുന്ന ഒരു മികച്ച സൃഷ്ടി ആണിത്.

2) Angoor (1982) - ഷേക്സ്പിയര്‍ എഴുതിയ "The comedy of errors" എന്ന നാടകത്തെ ആധാരമാകി നിര്‍മ്മിക്കപെട്ട ചിത്രം. സഞ്ജീവ് കുമാര്‍ ഇരട്ട റോള്‍ ചെയ്യുന്ന ഈ സിനിമയില്‍ ദേവന്‍ വര്‍മയും ഇരട്ട റോള്‍ ചെയ്യുന്നു. A rare classic comedy.

3) Jaane bhi do yaaron (1983) - ഒരു പക്ഷെ ഹിന്ദി സിനിമയില്‍ ഇത് വരെ ചിത്രീകരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഏറ്റവും മികച്ച ഹാസ്യ രംഗം ഈ സിനിമയുടെതായിരിക്കും. കൊല ചെയ്യപെട്ട ചീഫ് എന്‍ജിനിയറുടെ ശവത്തിനു വേണ്ടിയുള്ള നെട്ടോട്ടത്തില്‍, ശവം ഒരു നാടക അരങ്ങില്‍ എത്തി ചേരുകയും, ദ്രൌപതി വസ്ത്രാക്ഷേപ രംഗത്തെ കുളമാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ഭാഗം എല്ലാ കാലത്തും ഒരു ക്ലാസ്സിക്‌ ആയി നില നില്‍ക്കും. one of the best social satire ever made in hindi language. ....please do not forget to see this film.

4) Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986) - 12 angry men എന്ന ക്ലാസ്സിക്‌ ഹോളിവുഡ് സിനിമയുടെ ഹിന്ദി adaptation. ഒരു മുറിയില്‍ ആണ് സിനമയുടെ മൊത്തം രംഗങ്ങളും നടക്കുന്നത്. 12 പേര്‍ ചേര്‍ന്നു ഒരു കുറ്റകൃത്യത്തെ വിചാരണ ചെയ്യുന്നതാണ്‌ ഇതിവൃത്തം. excellent scripting and acting.....a very rare experiment in hindi language.

5) Sooraj ka Satvan Ghoda(1992) - നായക കഥാപാത്രം(Rajit Kapur) തന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോയ മൂന്ന് സ്ത്രീ കളുടെ കഥ പറയുന്നു. Shyam benegal സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത ഈ സിനിമയില്‍ പല്ലവി ജോഷി മികച്ച അഭിനയമാണ് കാഴ്ചവയ്ക്കുനത്.

6) Samar(1999) - സിനിമ ക്കുള്ളിലെ സിനിമയുടെ കഥ പറയുന്ന ശ്യാം ബെനെഗല് ചിത്രമാണ് ഇത്. അമ്പലത്തില്‍ കയറിപോയത്തിനു പരസ്യമായി ശിക്ഷിക്കപെട്ട ദെലിതന്ടെ സംഭവകഥയെ ആധരമാകി സിനിമ ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഒരു ഗ്രാമത്തില്‍ എത്തുകയാണ് ഒരു സിനിമ സംഘം. ദെലിതന്ടെ റോള്‍ അഭിനയിക്കുന്ന നടന് സ്വയം ഒരു ദെലിതന് ആണ്. തന്നെ അതിക്ഷേപിക്കുന്ന സവര്‍ണകെതിരെ ശബ്തം ഉയര്‍ത്തുകയാണ് അയ്യാള്‍. സിനിമയും യാഥാര്‍ത്യവും ഒന്നാവുന്ന നിമിഷങ്ങള്‍

The ghost and the darkness

സ്റ്റീഫന്‍ ഹോപ്കിന്‍സ് സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത "the ghost and the darkness" ഒരു മികച്ച suspense thriller ആണ്. 1996 ല്‍ റിലീസ് ചെയ്യപെട്ട ഈ സിനിമ പ്രേക്ഷകനെ ആദ്യാവസാനം സസ്പെന്‍സിന്റെ മുള്ള് മുനയില്‍ നിര്ത്തുന്നു. കാച്ചി കുറുക്കിയ തിരക്കഥ, അസാധ്യമായ ക്യാമറ വര്‍ക്ക്‌, പ്രകൃതിയുടെ ഭീതി ഒപ്പി എടുത്ത ശബ്ദ വിന്യാസം, ഹൃദയമിടിപ്പിനെ നിയന്ത്രിക്കുന്ന എഡിറ്റിംഗ് ഒരു മികച്ച വാണിജ സിനിമയ്ക്കു വേണ്ട എല്ലാ ചേരുവകളും ഈ സിനിമയില്‍ അണിചേരുന്നു. 19 ആം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന്റെ അവസാന ദശകം. ആഫ്രിക്കയില്‍ ട്രെയിന്‍ പാത നിര്‍മിക്കുന്ന ബ്രിട്ടീഷ്‌ സംഘം ഭീതിയുടെ നിഴലില്‍ ആണ്. സൂര്യന്‍അസ്തമിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ആരാണ് ഇന്ന് ആക്രമിക്കപെടുവാന്‍ പോകുന്നതെന്നു നിശ്ചയമില്ല. ഇതിനകം 200 ഓളം പേര്‍ കൊല്ലപെട്ടു കഴിഞ്ഞു. ഈ ഭീതിയെ അവര്‍ വിളിക്കുനത്‌ "the ghost in the darkness" - ആഫ്രിക്കയില്‍ ഇതിന്റെ ഇതിന്റെ അര്‍ഥം "സിംഹം" എന്നാണ്.

Miracle at St.Anna - a film by Spike

സ്പൈക്‌ ലീ അറിയപെടുന്ന ഒരു ഹോളിവുഡ് ഡയറക്ടര്‍ ആണ്. അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പ്രശസ്തങ്ങളായ സൃഷ്ടികളാണ് "മാല്‍കം എക്സ്" , "do the right thing", "inside man" തുടങ്ങിയവ. വംശ വിദ്വേഷം, വര്‍ണ വെറി തുടങ്ങിയ പ്രമേയങ്ങള്‍ കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നവയാണ് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ മിക്ക സിനിമകളും. 2008 ല്‍ പുറത്തിറങ്ങിയ "Miracle at St.Anna" യും ഇതില്‍ നിന്ന് വ്യത്യസ്തമല്ല. രണ്ടാം ലോക മഹായുദ്ധക്കാലത്ത് ഇറ്റലിയില്‍ ജര്‍മന്‍ സേനക്കെതിരെ പൊരുതിയ അമേരിക്കന്‍ കറുത്ത വംശജരുടെ കഥയാണ് ഈ സിനിമ പറയുന്നത്.

അസാധാരണമായ തുടക്കമാണ്‌ ഈ സിനിമക്കുള്ളത്. 1983 - ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്ക്‌ സിറ്റിയിലെ ഒരു പോസ്റ്റ്‌ ഓഫീസ്. അവിടെ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്ന കറുത്ത വംശജനായ ഹെക്ടര്‍ക്ക് വിരമിക്കാന്‍ ഏതാനും മാസങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രമേ ബാക്കിയുള്ളൂ . X-mas കാലമായതിനാല്‍ പോസ്റ്റ്‌ ഓഫീസില്‍ നല്ല തിരക്കാണ്. സ്റ്റാംബ് വാങ്ങാനായി ഒരു വൃദ്ധന്‍ ഹെക്ടരിന്റെ അടുത്തെത്തുന്നു. അയ്യാളെ സൂഷിച്ചു നോക്കിയ ശേഷം ഹെക്ടര്‍ തന്റെ മേശയില്‍ നിന്നും തോക്ക് വലിച്ചെടുത്തു വെടിവെക്കുന്നു. ആ വൃദ്ധന്‍ അവിടെ മരിച്ചു വീഴുന്നു. കേസ് അന്വേഷിക്കാന്‍ എത്തുന്ന പോലീസിന് ഹെക്ടരുടെ വീട്ടില്‍ നിന്ന് പുരാതന മായ ഒരു പ്രതിമയുടെ ശിരസ്സ്‌ കിട്ടുന്നു. രണ്ടാം ലോക മഹായുദ്ധ ക്കാലത്ത് ഇറ്റലിയില്‍ നിന്നും കാണാതെ പോയ അപൂര്‍വ മായ പ്രതിമ ആയിരുന്നു അത്. എന്തായിരിക്കാം ഹെക്ടരെ ഈ കൊലപാതകത്തിന് പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചത് ? ഇത്ര വിലപ്പെട്ട പ്രതിമ ഹെക്ടരുടെ കൈയ്യില്‍ എങ്ങനെ എത്തി ചേര്‍ന്നു? തുടര്‍ന്ന് ഈ രഹസ്യങ്ങളുടെ ചുരുക്കഴിക്കുകയാണ് സംവിധായകന്‍.

ഒരു സസ്പെന്‍സ് ത്രില്ലെരുടെ ചട്ടകൂടില്‍ നിന്ന് കൊണ്ട് ഒരു തലമുറയുടെ യാതനകളുടെ കഥ പറയുകയാണ്‌ ഈ ചിത്രം. സിനിമയിലെ ഒരു രംഗം എന്നും ഓര്‍മയില്‍ നിലനില്‍ക്കും. അമേരിക്കയില്‍ യുദ്ധ കുറ്റവാളികളായ നാസികള്‍ക്ക് ആഹാരം നല്‍കുമ്പോയും രാജ്യത്തിന് വേണ്ടി പോരാടുന്ന കറുത്ത വംശത്തില്‍ പെട്ട സൈനികര്‍ക്ക് അത് നിഷേധിക്കുന്ന ഹോട്ടല്‍ ഉടമ. തോക്ക് കാട്ടി സൈനികരെ പറഞ്ഞയച്ചതിനു ശേഷം ഹോട്ടല്‍ ഉടമ തന്റെ മകനോട്‌ പറയുന്നു " ഇങ്ങനെയാണ് ഈ നായകളോട് പെരുമാരേണ്ടത്"

Suggestion of some films for IFFK 2009

1) Tokyo Sonata (Japanese)

The film is directed by famous Japanese director Kiyoshi Kirosawa. The film is a black comedy about a Japanese businessmen, Sasaki Hiroyuki, who lost his job and do not want to reveal the truth to his family. It is a very well made film, with lot of emotional elements.

2) Departures (Japanese)

Oscar award winning film. The main protagonist of this film Daigo Kobayashi, was a cellist in an orchestra which had just been dissolved. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife. However, his life is revived when he starts working as an “encoffineer.” He cleans up the body, places the dead into the coffin, and sends the dead to the next world in the best way possible… he is the gatekeeper between life and death. The job is despised by his wife and the people around him, but through the “Deaths” that he encounters, he finally starts to find what “Life” is all about. Certainly this film deserves oscars. The director of this film is Yojiro Takita, who has made films like Onmyoji and When the last sword is drawn.

3) Breathless (Korean)

The film was made by a new comer Ik jun Yang. The main character of this film is Sang-hoon. he is working as a scamp to get money from debtors to creditors. One day, he encounters Youn-hee, a high school student. Both of them have gone through unhappy childhood with crashed families. She knows that Ik jun Yang has killed her mother. but she do not want to take revenge. but life is not that merciful.....something worst is waiting for him.

4) Mother (Korean)

The film was made by famous young director from Korea - Bong Joon ho and it was also a commercial hit in korea. Hye-ja is a ginseng vendor and an unlicensed acupuncturist in a small town in southern South Korea. She dotes on her son, Do-joon, who is 27, unemployed, and mentally incapacitated on some level, which Hye-ja seems to ignore.A high school girl is found dead on the roof of an abandoned building, and the local detectives arrest Do-joon based on circumstantial evidence. They coerce him to sign a confession and quickly imprison him. Hye-ja, distraught and convinced he is innocent, searches for the real killer, uncovering many secrets from the townspeople.

5) Handphone (Korean)

A thriller from Kim Han-Min. Missing of a Mobile phone can change ur life. Oh Seung-min manager of a film actress faces tragedy of his life through his lost mobile phone.

6) Tokyo !! (Japanese)

Three stories from three visionary directors who directly inspired by the vast metropolis of Tokyo. Three of world cinema's greatest visionaries: Michel Gondry ("Be Kind Rewind", "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind"), Leos Carax ("The Lovers On The Bridge"), and Bong Joon-Ho ("The Host") each direct a segment of this surreal triptych set in the ultra-modern metropolis of Tokyo, Japan.

7) Thirst (Korean)
Cannes award winning film from Park Chan Wook. The film tells about the story of a vampire.

8) Old Partner (Korean documentary)

The real story of 30-year companionship between a 40-year-old ox and an octogenarian. The Sound of the Cowbell! Neither time nor civilization can go against their companionship. 80 years old, CHOI has an old ox that has worked for 30 years, and an ox aged almost 40. However, theres something special about the way Old CHOI treats this ox, which is so worn-out that it might be dead any minute. The old man is single- mindedly focused on the ox, instinct-ively turning to the beast when he hears the cowbell even though hes nearly deaf. One spring day, however, Old CHOI heard that his ox only has a year to live, which will make big troubles for him.

9) 24 City (Chinese)

Jia Zhangke goes one (magnificent) step further in his idiosyncratic exploration of both the thin border between documentary and fiction and the self-imposed destruction experienced by China in her march toward a free-market economy. Though factories were once the temples in which socialism was built, with their workers treated as heroes, they are now being dismantled all over the country, and thousands of their employees laid off. Jia documents the closing of the "420" factory (once an airplane engine plant, with military implications) to build a luxury apartment complex, "24 City," on its site, in Sichuan's capital city of Chengdu. You see a sign being dragged over gravel, a building imploding as workers are singing "The Internationale"—but mostly you hear the stories, covering a 50-year period, of the people whose lives have revolved around the factory.

10) And the spring comes (Chinese)

Setting in a northern county of China in late 80s and early 90s of last century, this movie is about a few ordinary people who dreamed to become artists, who are stubborn enough to fight for their dreams, but eventually give in to the mundane life. This is a somehow identical theme appeared in the director's previous award-winning film "Peacock". Nevertheless, this is a totally different story. Well written and directed, this is one of the best movies of China of the year. What makes this movie magnificent is that although it's a sad story, the director was able to add in some delicate and somehow absurd humor, pushing you to the edge of breaking your heart. One thing worth to mention is that the leading actress, Wenli Jiang, is in fact the director's wife, who is very beautiful in reality but appeared to be ugly in the movie.

11) Forever Enthralled (Chinese)

Acclaimed Fifth Generation director Chen Kaige brings the tumultuous life of Peking Opera legend Mei Lanfang to the big screen in the highly anticipated biopic Forever Enthralled. The inspiration for Leslie Cheung's character in Chen Kaige's 1993 masterpiece Farewell My Concubine, Mei Lanfang was one of the greatest Peking Opera stars of modern China.

12) Home Run (Chinese)

A child's quest to return to home on his own takes center stage on the reality television program. With declining ratings and investor pressures, Li, the producer and host of the program, also faces difficulty in locating the next show's talent. In the rush of things, a thought pops inside her head and she knows exactly who can take on as her next star. She locates and brings five-year-old Lu to the set, and sends him off to find his way home alone. The cocky and resourceful boy calls his divorced father to overcome numerous hurdles, and in the process finds new and unexpected routes in a treacherous but often hilarious journey, tracked discreetly by a television crew. Lu has always wanted to find the mother whom he doesn't know. The young boy's determination to find his mother touches the heart of the entire nation, including that of his estranged mother, who happens to be....

13) Set Off (Chinese)

Set Off, directed by debutant Liu Jiang, is the first film completed under China Film Group's young filmmaker funding project. Garnering great word of mouth when it was released theatrically, this low-budget comedy is highly acclaimed for its smart script and great casting. Set Off is about Lao Cui a good-for-nothing but kind-hearted man running a Chinese restaurant in Cyprus. He comes home to Beijing only to find his wife cheated on him, pregnant with his best friend's baby. Devastated, Cui's misfortune is further compounded by the news that his business partner is going to sell his restaurant. Before he flies back to Cyprus, Cui bumps into a sassy girl named Xiao Xia, and his real nightmare has only just begun...

14) City of life and death (Chinese)

City of Life and Death takes place in 1937, during the height of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Imperial Japanese Army has just captured the then-capital of the Republic of China, Nanjing. What followed was known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, a period of several weeks wherein tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed. The film tells the story of several figures, both historical and fictional, including a Chinese soldier, a schoolteacher, a Japanese soldier, a foreign missionary, and John Rabe, a Nazi businessman who would ultimately save thousands of Chinese civilians.

15) Cafe Isobe (Japanese)

Written and directed by Yoshida Keisuke (Raw Summer), low-key charmer Cafe Isobe (a.k.a. Junkissa Isobe) is a minor comedy that offers major laughs. Actor and comedian Miyasako Hiroyuki (20th Century Boys, Wild Berries) stars as a flaky single father who opens a dinky cafe that seems to only attract the strangest of customers. He's happy as can be though pining after the newly hired waitress, played by popular actress Aso Kumiko (Achiless and the Tortoise). Less enthused is his disgruntled teen daughter, embodied with angsty charm by rising star Naka Riisa (Gachi Boy, Island Times). Filled with both heart and humor, Cafe Isobe has enjoyed good word of mouth for its bright atmosphere, quirky comedy, and genial portrayal of a father-daughter relationship.

16) Tulpan ( Kazakh/Russian)

Having just completed his naval service, young Asa travels back to the Kazakh steppe to take a bride and begin his new life as a shepherd. Asa is eager to go back to the countryside, where he plans on living a nomadic life along with his sister and her husband. His sister's husband is a shepherd, a career that Asa, too, hopes to someday undertake. But before that happens, Asa will have to find a bride -- not an easy task on the deserted steppe. Young Tulpan is the daughter of another shepherd family and the most obvious choice, yet she isn't attracted to Tulpan due to his big ears. Will Tulpan ever be able to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a shepherd, or is he forever condemned to lead the life of a lonely bachelor?

17) Little Note (Singapore)

Living with little wants in the countryside. Zhiren and his mother expressed their love and support for each other in a simple way - by exchanging little notes. These words of encouragement spurred their every step forward in life, helping them cast aside fear and despair in times of uncertainty. Interweaving poetic cinematography, intricate scenes of mother-and-son intimacy and a heartfelt original score, Little Note will meander its way into your heart like a clear, pristine stream.

18) Two legged hourse (Iran)

A father who has a young son with one leg and no other household members must go to India for some weeks. He hires another boy for a dollar a day to carry the son around on his back, to the school or to whatever whims may occur to the son. Actually the son is so skilled in jumping at really great speed, that he does not need any help or any "horse". The son's whims include not only verbal and physical abuse, but also repeated "horse fights" where "the horse" will continually be knocked down. Even "the horse's" tender feelings for a child girl beggar are exploited and mocked. Because of the brutal and degrading treatment "the horse" will become more and more similar to a real horse.

19) Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

Oscar nominated film made by Ari Folman. In 1982, Ari Folman was a 19-year-old infantry soldier in the Israel Defense Forces. In 2006, he meets with a friend from his army service period, who tells him of the nightmares connected to his experiences from the Lebanon War. Folman is surprised to find that he does not remember a thing from that period. Later that night he has a vision from the night of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, the reality of which he is unable to tell. In his memory, he and his soldier friends are bathing at night by the seaside in Beirut under the light of flares descending over the city. Folman rushes off to meet another friend from his army service, who advises him to discuss it with other people who were in Beirut at the same time in order to understand what happened there and to relive his own memory. Folman converses with friends, a psychologist and the reporter Ron Ben-Yishai who was in Beirut at the time.

20) Vanished Empire (Russia)

The film's story takes place in Moscow in the 1970s. Its plot unfolds around the love triangle between two young men and a girl who study at the same university. They argue, make up, and face their first disappointments and victories. While busy with personal lives and loves, they miss foreseeing that the country in which they were born and live will soon disappear from the map.

21) Revolution cars (Turkey)

In the years of pulse, Turkey was unable to produce its own cars. But Pasha believed that Turkish people can produce their own cars so he ordered 2 cars. Gunduz and engineers with him must produce 2 cars in only 130 days!

22) The betrayal (Laos)

The epic story of a family forced to emigrate from Laos after the chaos of the secret air war waged by the U.S during the Vietnam War. Kuras has spent the last 23 years chronicling the family's extraordinary journey in this deeply personal, poetic, and emotional film.

23) Summer Book / Tatil kitabi (Turkey)

Mustafa is a hard-working and ambitious agricultural merchant who is cold and austere towards his family.One day he has a brain hemorrhage on a business trip and goes into a coma after the operation. Güler, who has been suspecting that her husband is having an affair, is now convinced of it. Veysel, their teenage son,wants to leave the military academy and start a civilian life of his own. Ali, their 10 year old son, has to cope both with his bully classmates and the chewing gums he has to sell. Hasan, Mustafa’s brother, chose to live a life in solitude after divorcing his wife and has always been an outsider to the family. But now he finds himself involved in his brother’s family after his brother goes into a coma. Hasan has to solve the mystery about his brother’s mistress and the money lost during his trip.

24) Ask Tutulmasi (Turkey)

Ask Tutulmasi is the story of football-crazy Ugur and career-oriented Pinar who lost all confidence in relationships. Their paths cross and more than fireworks follow. Will Ugur be able to let go of some of his love for this favourite football team and put Pinar before football?

25) Autumn / Sonbahar(Turkey)

Released from prison after 10 years for anti-government activities as a student in the 1990s, Yusuf returns to his sickly mother in a mountainous village near the Black Sea. He only sees his childhood friend Mikail. As autumn slowly gives way to winter, Yusuf and Mikail go to a tavern where Yusuf meets Eka, a beautiful Georgian prostitute. Love becomes a final desperate attempt to grasp life and elude solitude. Beyond the personal tragedy of a man who has nothing to look forward to, there lurks the bitter deception of a shattered socialist dream.

AMAL- a beautiful Hindi cinema

വളരെ നാളുകള്‍ക്ക് ശേഷം നല്ലൊരു ഹിന്ദി സിനിമ കണ്ടു - "അമല്‍". 2007 ല്‍ റിലീസ് ചെയ്ത ഈ സിനിമ ഡയറക്റ്റ് ചെയ്തത് കനേഡിയന്‍ സംവിധായകന്‍ റിച്ചീ മെഹ്ത ആണ്. റിച്ചീ യുടെസഹോദരനായ ഷൌന്‍ എഴുതിയ ഒരു കഥ യെ ആധാര മാക്കിയാണ് ഈ സിനിമ നിര്‍മ്മിക്ക പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നത്. "അമല്‍" സിനിമയില്‍ ഹൃദയ സ്പര്‍ശിയായ ഒരു കഥയെ ലളിതമായി അവതരിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. അമല്‍ എന്ന ഈ സിനിമയിലെ മുഖ്യകഥാപാത്രം ഡല്‍ഹിയിലെ ഒരു ഓട്ടോറിക്ഷ ഡ്രൈവര്‍ ആണ്. അത്യാഗ്രഹമില്ലാത്ത, മാന്യനായ ഒരു നിരക്ഷരന്‍. സവാരിക്കാരില്‍ നിന്ന് മീറ്റര്‍ പ്രകാരം ഉള്ള ചാര്‍ജ് മാത്രം ഈടാക്കുന്ന, മറ്റുള്ള വരെ സഹായിക്കുന്ന ഈ ഓട്ടോ ഡ്രൈവറുടെ സവാരിക്കാരനായി ഒരു ദിവസം ഒരു വിചിത്ര മനുഷന്‍ കയറുന്നു. പെട്ടെന്ന് ദേഷ്യം വരുന്ന, മറവികാരനായ വൃദ്ധന്‍. കണ്ടാല്‍ ഒരു തനി ഭ്രാന്തന്‍...!! പക്ഷെ ഈ യാത്ര ആ വൃദ്ധന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിനു ഒരു പുതിയ അര്‍ഥം കൊടുക്കുന്നു.

After many years i have seen a good hindi cinema - "AMAL"(2007). The main protagonist of the film - Amal Kumar (Rupinder Nagra), is a hardworking sweet-natured auto rickshaw driver. Driven by senses of honesty and responsibility, he charges the metre rate. One day he came across a crazy old man, who refuses to give the metre rate and irritates him. But like always Amal talks to him with respect. What results is an interesting series of events which changes our perception about "dignity" and "class division". this film is a unique search of humanity in an"urbanised society". what is the meaning of "dignified life"? is it possible to be happy and poor? do wealth brings happiness? how class difference affects social behaviour? how wealth accumulates in the hands of a few? The film critically examine the modern urban society (particularly DELHI) with out any over statements. it got many international awards including best actor award at 2008 Whistler Film Festival.

Latcho Drom - an amazing documentary

നാടോടികള്‍, ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ എന്നും വെട്ടയാടപെട്ടവര്‍...അധികാരത്തില്‍ ഏറിയവരാല്‍ തുരത്ത്തിയോടിക്കപെട്ടവര്‍....പള്ളിയും ഹിറ്റ്‌ലറും തുടങ്ങി വികസനത്തിന്റെ ആധുനിക അപോസ്തലന്മാര്‍ വരെ ഇവരെ വേട്ടയാടിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള്‍ നീണ്ട ഈ ഒറ്റപെടുതലുകളെ, അടിച്ചമര്‍ത്തലുകളെ, ഉന്മൂല നങളെ ഓര്‍മ പെടുത്തുക യാണ് Latcho Drom എന്ന ഡോകുമെന്ററി. പക്ഷെ ഇതിനായി ചരിത്രത്തെ ഇഴ കീറായി പരിശോധിച്ച് അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കണക്കുകളോ, പഠന റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട്കളോ നമുക്കിവിടെ കാണാനാവില്ല. രോദന ത്തിന്റെ, അമര്‍ഷത്തിന്റെ, ഓര്മ പെടുത്തലിന്റെ ഏറ്റവും ശക്തമായ ഭാഷയായ സംഗീതവും നൃത്തവും ആണ് സംവിധായകന്‍ ഉപയോഗപെടുത്തി യിരിക്കുനത്.

The documentary is hard to explain, it is something to feel about. It’s hypnotic. There is no voice over in it. It carries songs of various gypsy languages, almost one and half hour long. Starts out in India, where nomads dance in the magnificent Rajasthan desert, and then pass their music – without losing a beat – onto their roaming singing cousins in the mid-east and Egypt, and then onto their Roma relatives in Turkey and eventually into the heart of old Europe as gypsies. They sing about themselves-about their life, their happiness and agony and about infinite torture they suffered from the “mainstream” world. The most marvelous thing about this unusual film is the authenticity of the local singers, and their stunning locations and landscapes. You can’t tell how staged the performances are, or if they are. One feels like a gypsy on foot who just happens to meet some cousins as they sing their hearts out. This film works as ambient music video – stunning, mesmerizing scenes from some archetypical past.

The Human Animal

The Human Animal, narrated by Desmond Morris (famous zoologist) is a six part science series on human race and its behaviour evolved from animal ancestors. In this portrait of the human species, Desmond Morris takes us right to the centre of human existence and explores all aspects of human life and behaviour. From the way we rear our young to the common use of certain facial gestures, he covers a fascinating variety of subjects: how our hunting instincts have been channelled into an extraordinary range of sporting activities; how the modern art world can trace its roots back to an early primate picking up a stone resembling a face; how different courtship rituals across the world reflect the universal emotion of love. Both candid and entertaining, Desmond Morris exposes our foibles, celebrates our triumphs and gives us a new understanding of the way we behave.

An amazing journey which will give insight to our own existence.

Space Race

i have seen an amazing documentary series made by BBC on the race between US and ussr to explore the space. the name of series is "Space Race". it is a 4 part series on the history of space programmes.

the big figures and master minds of this race were Sergei Korolev and Wernher von Braun. Braun was a NASI party member and a SS major, he developed German's rocket technology. he surrendered to US army when war was over and US got the man to conquer the space. The same time ussr was also looking for a geneus to start its space programme. at last they find out the man - a prisoner living in Siberia, sentenced during Stalin's ruling period-his name was Sergei Korolev. Both these master minds participated in the race which is one of the greatest suspense thriller story of modern history.

Korolev put Russia ahead of US , by sending first satellite, living creature, man into space, first space walk, first object orbit around moon and first object touched moon's surface.He was a demanding, hard-working man, with a disciplinary style of management. Korolyov personally monitored all key stages of the programs and paid meticulous attention to detail. His accidental death broke the back born of the USSR space programme. until his death, his identity was kept secret from the world.

one of the best documentary series i have ever seen. well researched, well scripted and well made big budget film. it is a docu-drama using lot of actual footage.