Yes, FTII has gone to dogs in last 10 years. Here is the list of the “dogs”

Posted: July 13, 2015 by moifightclub in cinema, News
Tags: ,
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With students of Film and Television Institute Of India in no mood to compromise, the strike is still on. And looking at what the Government’s various mouthpieces (people, sites, channels) are shouting, this seems to be a clear cut strategy.

First, they can’t contest the fact that Gajendra Chauhan is not really a credential face for the FTII.

SO —> Second, since that’s not working and we can’t take control of the institute, let’s shut it down.

WHY? —-> Third, FTII is the heaven for drugs and debauchery. There is no focus on studies and the course. Anonymous posts are being circulated.

HOW? —> Fourth, so the Government is wasting “YOUR” tax money in a film institute where “naxalites and anti-government” people are having fun. It just doesn’t make any sense, right? Remember the stress on “your”. Yes, “your” tax money should be spent on MP/MLAs subsidised canteens and big statues.

Aha, what coincidence. And this is coming out from every mouthpiece. A pied piper says so, everyone repeats it.

At its core is a stupid mindset that still thinks “engineering” is the only reason that mankind exists. So Government should spend money on IITs only. And 100 other universities where nobody smokes or drinks or have never even heard of any kind smoking stuff. And yes, we must spend money on big big statues that will save us from every disaster.

Since art (and especially films which have the widest reach) is one of the strongest voice of dissent, why spend money on people who will raise their voice against us? Why feed them? And what is the use of a camera anyway, other than clicking a selfie, right? For that you don’t need to run a film institute.

Aha, myopia at its worst.

Not surprising that the few voices which are supporting the idea that FTII should be privatised are the ones who run their own private institutes who charge such exorbitant fees that most can’t even afford. In such a scenario, FTII/SRFTII is the only hope for many who want to get into arts. In terms of quality, almuni and the credential, those private institutes are light years behind FTII. It’s not only a premiere institute in the country, but is easily among the best in the world. It would be a really sad scenario if just for selfish political mileage the institute will be harmed in anyway.

Also, those who are claiming that since bollywood makes so much money, why should Governement run it. Well, FTII is NOT bollywood. Indian Cinema is NOT just bollywood. Get up from your troll account, google, learn what it is about.

As far as the claims about FTII gone to dogs in last 10 years, so it should be shut down, well, we have tried to compile the list of those “dogs” who have got some kind of national/international claim in the last few years. We are sure this is not a complete list, and we must be missing many here. Do keep adding the names in the comments section. And remember, this is just last 10 year list.

It takes years to build an institute of such repute. It takes one bad decision to kill it all.

2004
Nice Girls – by Nimisha Pandey Best Documentary Film Award – 0110 Digital Film Festival, New Delhi, 2004
Ek Aakash – by Sudhakar Reddy Special Mention Award – 3rd International Film Festival, Argentina,

Special Jury Award, 51st National Film Award 2003
Baba Pagla – by Ramesh Birajdar Best Audiography, 51st National Film Award 2003
Mangali – by Shilpi Das Gupta Special Mention for Innovative Direction, 51st National Film Award 2003
2005
Girni – by Umesh Kulkarni

Cinematography by Manoj Lobo

 Best Short Film Award, Govt. of Maharashtra, 2005

Best Non-Feature Film, 52nd National Film Awards 2004

Best Cinematography Award, 52nd National Film Awards 2004
Dwijaa – by Pankaj Purandare Best Film on Social Issues, 52nd National Film Awards 2004
Kshya Tra Ghya – by Amit Dutta

Audiography by Vivek

 Special Jury Mention, 52nd National Film Awards 2004

Best Audiography Award, 52nd National Film Awards 2004
Cradle Song – by Nimisha Pandey 1) Best Short Fiction Film, 52nd National Film Awards 2004
Saanjh – by Jasmine Kaur 1) Best Film on Family Welfare, 52nd National Film Awards 2004
Sukravarsh Aakash – by Emmanuel Palo 1) First Prize of EADS AIRAET, Germany, 2005
Amachi Kasauti – by Rrihu Laha 1) Best TV Documentary, IBDA          Awards, Dubai

2) Best Student Film, INR 10,000
2006
Closer – by Anmol Bhave ‘Rajat Kamal’ Award for Best Audiography, 53rd National Film Awards, 2005
Voices Across The Ocean – by Ganesh Gaikwad ‘Swarna Kamal’ Award for Best Direction, 53rd National Film Awards, 2005
Parsiwada Tarapore Present Day – by Paramvir Singh ‘Rajat Kamal’ Award for Best Cinematography, 53rd National Film Awards, 2005
Chabiwali Pocket Watch – by Vibhu Puri

Anay Goswamy

 Best Feature at IBDA Awards, Dubai 2005

Special Kodak Award for the director at the 13th International Film School Festival, Poland

Special Jury Award for the director Vibhu Puri, 53rd National Film Awards, 2006

Winner, Asia Pacific Kodak Filmschool Competition, 2006

Best Cinematography award in the ‘Emerging Filmmakers’ section, Cannes Film Festival:
2007
Kramasha – by Amit Dutta

2009

Kramasha – by Savita Singh

Kramasha – by Ajit Singh Rathore

 2007

“GOLD MIKELDI FOR FICTION” by the International Jury of the 49th edition of the Bilbao International Festival of Documentary and Short Films, Spain

2008

Golden Conch, MIFF, 2008

2009

Rajat Kamal and cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- for Best Cinematography in 55th National Awards

Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-  for Best Audiography in 55th National Awards
Bhanga Ghara, Nilanjan Datta Silver Lotus, Best film on Environment, 55th National Film Awards (Awarded in 2009)
2008
Chasing Angelina Jolie – by Saurav Dey Best Student Documentary (Golden Trophy), Indian Documentary Producers Association, Mumbai
Udedh Bun – by Siddhartha Sinha Silver Bear, 58th Berlin International Film Festival, Berlin, 2008

Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 50,000/- to the Director for Best Short Fiction in 55th National Awards
Haravalele Indradhanushya – by Dhiraj Meshram 1) Silver Conch, MIFF, 2008

2) Best Short Fiction Film (Golden Trophy) and Best Screenplay (Silver Trophy), Indian Documentary Producers Association, Mumbai.
Undertakers – by Emmanuel Palo Silver Conch, MIFF, 2008
Three of Us – by Umesh Kulkarni

Shariqua Badar Khan Cameraperson

 2008:

Grand Prix Grimstad , 2500 Euro,Norwegian Short Film Festival

Best Documentary and Trophy, 16th Curtas Vila Do Conde International Film Festival, Portugal.

Best Documentary Award, Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – Curta Cinema 2008

Grand jury prize, signe de nuit, France

PATTON award for Best Indian Film, 6th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata.

2009:

6th Competitive We Care Filmfest  2009, New Delhi  First Prize (Mentally Challenged Category)

2010:

Best Direction – SWARNA Kamal and Rs 1,00,000/- to the Director, 56th National Awards 2008

Best Cinematography – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- and Adlabs Mumbai, 56th National Awards 2008
Narmeen – by Dipti Gogna HBO Short Film Competition Jury Award and cash prize of $2,500, 5th South Asian International Film Festival 2008, New York.

Best Director Award of a cash prize – $1,000, Whistling Woods International Students Film Competition Live Action

(Short Film) During 7th Pune International Film Festival, Pune.

Jury Award for Best Short Film at the 7th annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles

2009:

Gold Award for ‘Excellence in Short Fiction’ (Professional category) in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA)

Best Short Film Award at ‘Bollywood and beyond’ Indian Film Festival, Stuttgart, Germany 09

Jury Special Mention Award for Section – “Children World” in 7th edition of the International Short Festival ‘Salento Finibus Terraein’, Italy.

Gold Award for ‘Excellence in Sound Design’ (Fiction) in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) – Manik Batra

2010

Best Music Direction Award – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-, 56th National Awards 2008 – Vipin Mishra

PATTON AWARD for the Best Indian entry 8th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata – November 1 to 5, 2010
2009
Dhin Tak Dha – Saikat Ray 1) Gold Award for ‘Excellence in Editing’ (Fiction) in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA).
Swayambhu Sen Foresees his End – by  Debashish Medhekar 1) Certificate for Merit for Best Short Fiction’ (under 30 minute) in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA).
In Transit – by Arunima Sharma 1) ‘Silver Award’ for ‘Best Documentary’ (30 min.) in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA)
Who Thought of the Little Boy  – Devendra Golatkar 1) Gold Award for ‘Excellence in Cinematography’ in Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA)
Take Off – by Collin D’Cunha Koenig Ludwig Trophy for Best Beer Advertisement, Munich 2009
Echoes of Silence –  by Zubin Garg – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- for Best Music Direction Award in 55th National Awards
Aadmi ki Aurat Aur Anya Kahaniyan (The Man’s Woman and Other Stories) – by  Amit Dutta 1) Special Mention in the competition section of Horizon (Orizzonti Section) – 66th Venice International Film Festival held from 2nd to 12th September, 2009
Turbulence – Cinematography by Rangoli Agarwal Best Film / TV Feature – Ibda’a Awards, Dubai, 2009
Gaarud – Umesh Kulkarni

Deepu S. Unni, Cameraman

Lipika Singh Darai Sound

 PATTON award for Best Indian Film, 7th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata.

Sharing Best Film : Short Fiction (Under 30)- Gold, Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) 2009, Mumbai

2010

Golden Conch (cash award of Rs. 3 Lakh/-, MIFF, 2010)

Sharing Best Film : Short Fiction (Under 30)- Gold, Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) 2009, Mumbai

Best Cinematography – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- and Adlabs, Mumbai – 57th National Awards 2009.

Best Audiography for Re-recordist (final mixed track) – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-. – 57th National Awards 2009
Thread – Lilium Leonard Best Short Film Rs. 25,000/- 8th Third Eye Asian Film Festival, Mumbai
2010
The Watch Clinic / Ghadyalancha Dawakhana – by Vikrant Pawar Best Film Award of a cash prize – $2,000, at Whistling Woods International Students Film Competition Live Action (Short Film) during 8th Pune International Film Festival, Pune – 7th to 14th Jan. 2010

2011

Best Film for 1st Pune Shot Film Festival 2011

Certificate – Special Mention for 17th International Children’s Film Festival – Golden Elephant, Mumbai 2011
Trip – by Emmanuel Palo Best Scientific Film – Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 50,000/- each to the Producer and Director, 56th National Awards 2008
Stations – by Emmanuel Palo

Manoj Kannoth, Editor

 Short Fiction Film – Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 50,000/- each to the Producer and Director, 56th National Awards 2008

Best Editing – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-, 56th National Awards 2008
When This Man Dies – Jayakrishna Gummadi, Cameraman Best Cinematography – Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- and Filmlab, Mumbai, 56th National Awards 2008
Ekti Kaktaliyo Golpo – Tathagata Singha Sharing Best Debut Non-feature Film of a director – Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 37,500/- each to the Producer and Director. – 57th National Awards 2009.
Vaishnav Jan Toh…. – Kaushal Oza Sharing Best Debut Non-feature Film of a director – Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 37,500/- each to the Producer and Director. – 57th National Awards 2009.

Best Student Film : Short Fiction – Gold – Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) 2009, Mumbai
Vilay – Umesh Kulkarni

Nitika Bhagat, Cameraman

 Best film award in the 14th Thai Short Film and Video Festival, Thailand held on August 2010.

Special Mention – Certificate only – 57th National Awards 2009.
Reflections – Swati Khatri Special mention of the Jury – 8th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata – November 1 to 5, 2010
The Light and her Shadows – Avinash Arun Best Cinematography – Short Fiction – Gold, Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) 2009, Mumbai
Chaatak (Waiting for Rain) – Reema Borah Best Film : Short Fiction (Over 30) – Special Mention – Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA) 2009, Mumbai
2011
Come and See (playback) – Tathagata Singha Indo Canada Student Innovation Award 2011 (ICSIA), Mumbai
Shyam Raat Seher – Arunima Sharma

Murli G., Cameraman

 Best Direction award with Swarna Kamal and cash prize of ` 1,50,000/- 58th National Film Awards

Best Cinematography award with Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- each to the processing laboratory – Film Lab, Mumbai – 58th National Film Awards 2010.
Kal 15 August Dukan Band Rahegi – Pratik Vats Best Short Fiction award with Rajat Kamal and Cash Prize of Rs. 50,000/- each to the Producer and Director – 58th National Film Awards 2010
Urnanaabh – Zalina Gamat

Jigmet Wangchuk, Cameraman

 Silver Trophy for ‘Excellence in Short Fiction’ (Student category) – IDPA Awards 2010

Kodak Film School Cinematography National Competition 2011
Airawat – Renu Savant Special Jury Mention in 4th International Short and Documentary Film Festival of Kerala 11.

Special Mention Certificate only for 59th National Awards in 2011
Blue Palace – Mahavir Sabannavar, Audiographer Best Sound Design Award – NO LIMITS FILM FESTIVAL, Sheffield, UK
Memories – Ms. Gayatri Joshi Silver Trophy for ‘Excellence in Animation’ (Student) – IDPA Awards 2010
Utsav – Animation Student group project Special Jury Mention – IDPA Awards 2010
1, 2 – Prantik Basu

Gautam Nair, Audiographer

 PATTON award for Best Indian Film, 9th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata

Technical Awards in Camera Gold and Sound Silver 4th Cut.In Students’ Video Festival, Mumbai 2011

2012

Indian Jury Award i.e. Cash Award of Rs. 2,50,000/- in the Indian Competition in the 12th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films (MIFF -2012)

Best Audiography for with Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- for 59th National Awards in 2011
Open Café v2.5 – Naveen Padmanabhan

Sylvester Fonseca, Cinematographer

 Gold Award in Documentary category and for Sound Gold and Camera Silver in Technical Awards in 4th Cut In Students’ Video Festival, Mumbai 2011

Best Cinematography for Whistling Woods International Student Film Competition (a section of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), 2012
2012
Shankarnama – Nikhil Mullay Best Sound for Whistling Woods International Student Film Competition (a section of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), 2012
Rizwan – Deepti Khurana

Cinematographer – Akash Agrawal

 Special Jury Mention at 5th International Short and Documentary Film Festival of Kerala held from 8th to 12th June 2012

Cinematography award in the Diploma Section in Fujifilm – Indradhanush Film School Competition 2012
Prabhat Nagari Film 1 – Aman Wadhan

Cinematographer – Srijit Basu

 Special mention in Student Non fiction category for Prabhat Nagari in 11th IDPA award in Mumbai (2015)

Cinematography award in the Fujifilm – Indradhanush Film School Competition 2012
Kaun Kamleshwar – Camera: – Rangoli Agrawal

Dir: Anurag Goswami

 specially acknowledged films by the jury members in the Fujifilm – Indradhanush Film School Competition 2012

Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award, held in conjunction with London Indian Film Festival, 2013.
Moon Stars Lovers –

Cinematographer: G. Balakrishna Sharma

 specially acknowledged films by the jury members in the Fujifilm – Indradhanush Film School Competition 2012
Afterglow – Kaushal Oza Patton Award for the Best Indian Film at 10th Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata held from November 1 to 5, 2012.

BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUES award with RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- each to the Director and Producer – 60th National Film Awards
Chumbak – Gaurav Shimpi Special Jury Award in the Kyoto International Student Film and Video Festival scheduled from 17th to 23rd November 2012.
The Elephant, From the Bridge (Dir Abhilash Vijayan) 2nd Best Documentary film, 3rd Best Director and 2nd Best Editor award in 1st Smita Patil Short Documentary Competition, 2012.
11 Minutes (Dir Karma Takapa) Best Director award in 1st Smita Patil Short Documentary Competition, 2012.
2013
Allah is Great – Dir. Andrea Lannetta Special Jury Mention – Coming Stars Panorama in 5th Jaipur International Film Festival 2013

SPECIAL MENTION – 60th National Film Awards

2nd Best Film in Dubai International Film Festival (Shorts Section) with a prize money of AED 25,000.
Kaatal – Dir. Vikrant Pawar

Abhimanyu Dange, Cameraman

Kaatal – Dilip Kumar Ahirwar, Sound

 BEST SHORT FICTION award comprising RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- cash each to both Director and Producer (FTII) – 60th National Film Awards

Best Student Film Award in International Film Festival of Fiji 2013.

BEST DIRECTION with SWARNA KAMAL and Rs.1,50,000/-  cash – 60th National Film Awards

Best Direction in Fiction in 1st NSFA & SFFI, 2013.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY award with RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- cash each to cameraman and laboratory (Cash Component to be shared between films)

2014:

Best Short Fiction film with Golden Conch trophy and Rs. 500,000 cash prize (Rs 300,000 for the Director and Rs 200,000 for the producer – FTII) in 13th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films (MIFF) 3rd to 9th February 2014.

Best Sound Recordist with Rs. 1,00,000/- and certificate in 13th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films (MIFF) 3rd to 9th February 2014.
After Glow – Dir. Kaushal Oza BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUES award with RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- each to the Director and Producer – 60th National Film Awards
Man from Maldeo – Dir. Ruchir Arun Special Jury Award in Non-Fiction in 1st NSFA & SFFI, 2013.
The Donkey Fair – Dir. Rakesh Shukla Best Documentary award in 3rd Smita Patil International Film Festival 2014 organized by Arogya Sena Co-organizer SYS.with prize rs10,000/- and certificate

Best Cinematography in Non-Fiction in 1st NSFA & SFFI, 2013

2015:

Best Documentary award in 3rd Smita Patil International Film Festival 2014 organized by Arogya Sena Co-organizer SYS.with prize rs10,000/- and certificate.
The Drowning Song – Dir. Sandhya Daisy Sundaram Best Music Video in 6th International Documentary and Short Film Festival in Kerala.
Black O’ Whyte – Dir. Jithindas C.H. and Sibin Anto M. Best Animation Film in 6th International Documentary and Short Film Festival in Kerala

Best Director for animation award in 2nd National Students Film Awards at SRFTI, Kolkata .27th feb to 3rd march 2014.
Kaun Kamleshwar – Dir. Anurag Goswami Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award, held in conjunction with London Indian Film Festival, 2013.
Dwand – Dir Abhilash Vijayan

Sahil Bhardwaj, Camera

 Best Short Film in Ladakh International Film Festival 2013.

Best Cinematography Award in 13th International Student Film Festival Písek 2013, Czech Republic.
Firdous – Dir. Tushar More Best Cinematography Award in Kodak India Film School Competition 2013.

2015:

Special mention in Student fiction category for Firdous in 11th IDPA award in Mumbai

Best Direction Category in Samyak Short Film Festival, Pune.
That Elephant from the Bridge – Dir. Abhilash Vijayan) Documentary Gold at Cut.In National Student Film Festival 2013 at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Best Documentary Award at Kolhapur International Film festival, 2013.
2014
Chidiya Udh – Dir. Pranjal Dua

Gautam Nair Audiographer

 BEST DIRECTION award with SWARNA KAMAL and Rs.1,50,000/- cash – 61st National Film Awards 2013

BEST AUDIOGRAPHY award with RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- cash – 61st National Film Awards 2013
Mandrake! Mandrake! – Dir. Ruchir Arun

Kavin Jagtiani, Cameraman

 Special Mention Fiction (10 to 30 min) in 2nd National Students Film Awards at SRFTI, Kolkata 27th feb to 3rd march 2014

BEST SHORT FICTION award comprising RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- cash each to both Director and Producer (Director, FTII) – 61st National Film Awards 2013

2015:

Silver medal in Student Fiction category for Mandrake Mandrake in 11th IDPA award in Mumbai

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY award with RAJAT KAMAL and Rs. 50,000/- cash each to cameraman and laboratory
Things Missing – Karan Singh, Editor (TV course film, dir : Samar Ali Warsi) Best Editing Non-fiction (shared) in 2nd National Students Film Awards at SRFTI, Kolkata .27th feb to 3rd march 2014.
Makara – Susmit Bob Nath, Sound (dir. Prantik Narayan Basu) Best Sound Design Fiction (10 to 30 min) in 2nd National Students Film Awards at SRFTI, Kolkata 27th feb to 3rd march 2014
Sonyacha Amba – Dir. Govind Raju Specail Award for IDPA Award for the best student film with IDPA Trophy and Rs. 1,00,000/-in 13th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films (MIFF) 3rd to 9th February 2014.
Makhi – Dir. Umesh Kulkarni Best Short Film – Fiction in SIGNS 2014 – John Abraham National Awards 28th May to 1st June 2014
Aisa Nahin Hua Tha Tahira –
Dir. Rajula Shah		 Cinema Experimenta – Fiction in SIGNS 2014 – John Abraham National Awards 28th May to 1st June 2014
Thutse Kyume – Dir. Takapa Karma Jury Special Mention – Fiction in SIGNS 2014 – John Abraham National Awards 28th May to 1st June 2014
A Dream Animal – Dir. Sanyukta Sharma

Pinak Agte

Susmit Bobnath

 Jury Special Mention – Fiction in SIGNS 2014 – John Abraham National Awards 28th May to 1st June 2014

2015:

Best Director for A dream Animal in 3rd NSFA pune

Best Audiography for A dream Animal in 3rd NSFA Pune

Best Sound Design for A dream Animal in 3rd NSFA, Pune
Mukhabir – Manoj Nitharwal Best Student Film Award in International Film Festival of Fiji 18th to 28th July 2014.
Roots -Antara Anand, Film ‘Roots’ – 2nd Prize (Shared) – Non Fiction

Prize consists of – A cheque of Rs. 15000/-, Certificate & a Memento.
Glass-Naveen Padmanabha Film ‘GLASS’ – 1st Prize – Fiction

Prize consists of – A cheque of Rs. 20000/-, Certificate & a Memento.
Sahara Rider -Devendra Meher Film ‘Sahara Rider’ – 2nd Prize (Shared) – Non Fiction Prize consists of – A cheque of Rs. 15000/-, Certificate & a Memento.
2015
Renu Savant- Aaranyak

Vijay Kalmakar

 Best Short Fiction Film award at Asian Film FestivalThird Eye Mumbai , 2015.

Best Film Aaranyak in 3rd NSFA Pune

Best Direction for Aaranyak in 62nd National film Award in non feature film category. . Swarna Kamal and 1.5lakh cash prize

Best Editor for Aaranyak in 3rd NSFA pune
Song we Wrote- Sandhya sundaram BEST AUDIOGRAPHY category Audiographer :- Sumit Kuhate in live action competition in 13th Pune internation Film Festival.
Tushar Kharalkar – Sadabahar Brass Band (Dir: Tushar More) Best Art and Production Design for Sadabahar Brass Band in 3rd NSFA in pune
Return to innocence – Dir: Deepanjan Laha Gold medal in Student animation category for Return to Innocence  in 11th IDPA award in Mumbai
Seek & Hide, Manoj Nitharwal Special mention with certificate in 62nd National film award in non feature film category for Seek and Hide.

New York Indian Film Festival (OUTSIDE)  Best short film

How To ‘Pitch’ Your Story? Hear from Vikramaditya Motwane, Shridhar Raghavan, Kamlesh Pandey & Ram Mirchandani

Posted: July 7, 2015 by moifightclub in bollywood, Screenwriting, video, VOTD
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Film Writers Association (FWA) recently did a workshop on “pitching your story”. Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, screenwriter Shridhar Raghavan & Kamlesh Pandey, and producer Ram Mirchandani shared their ideas and experience about the process.

It’s great that FWA is finally taking some initiatives that will help the new writers. Just wish the video/audio was done professionally. And big thanks to the person who transcribed the entire video.

Watch the video or click here to read the transcript.

 

POTD : From Photo Exhibition “The Master & I” – Satyajit Ray & Soumitra Chatterjee

Posted: July 6, 2015 by moifightclub in Bengali, cinema, pics, POTD
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The event happened in May. And somehow we missed it. But the pictures are so priceless, we thought it would be good to share with you all. All these pictures were part of the exhibition, “The Master & I”. The event was part of Ray’s 94th birth anniversary celebration. Click here to read more about the event.

Move your cursor on any pic to get the description. And click on any pic to start the slideshow.

Thanks to Debosmita Sarkar for the pics from the exhibition.

First Look : Q’s Ludo and Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni’s Highway

Posted: July 6, 2015 by moifightclub in Bengali, cast & crew, cinema, first look, Indie, Marathi, News, Trailer
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Q and Umesh Kulkarni – two daring film-making voices from two different corners of the country, and whose films we always look forward to. And this time both of them seem to be trying something new which they haven’t done before. Q’s film is called Ludo and Umesh’s film is Highway Ek Selfir Aarpaar.

Q has directed the film with Nikon.

LUDO

Trailer :

Official Synopsis :

Four desperate teenagers. A night of sexy mayhem. The big city. Or so the plan goes, until a series of misadventures later, Babai, Pele, Ria and Payal end up in a locked shopping mall in the dead of the night. Alone at last… until an old couple appears out of nowhere with a piece of folded leather and a glass container with two dice made of bone. A game. Simple, but deadly. They call it Ludo. A game defiled by a young couple centuries ago. An unbreakable curse, a living board, eons of bloodbath spanning the subcontinent. A game that has reached this city. Not just monsters, but prisoners of fate. Immortal lovers existing under a curse that will not die. They live within the game. Blood must spill. Bone must shatter. Beware the rattle of the Ludo dice.

Cast & Crew

Rii, Tillotama Shome, Kamalika Banerjee, Joyraj Bhattacharya, Ananya Biswas, Murari Mukherjee, Ronodeep Bose, Soumendra Bhattacharya, Subholina Sen.

Directed By: Nikon, Q (Qaushiq Mukherjee)
Produced By: Celine Loop, Nandini Mansinghka, Q (Qaushiq Mukherjee), Tilak Sarkar
Screenplay : Nikon, Surojit Sen
Story Writer :Nikon, Q (Qaushiq Mukherjee)
Production Company(S) : Overdose Joint, Idyabooster, Starfire Movies

HIGHWAY

Trailer :

Official Synopsis

Highway is a film of that escape which all of us yearn for. It is an attempt to see our own reflections in today’s time.

Cast :
Girish Kulkarni, Huma Qureshi, Tisca Chopra, Renuka Shahane Rana, Vidyadhar Joshi, Mukta Barve, Sunil Barve, Mayur Khandge, Shrikant Yadav, Kishore Chaugule, Kishor Kadam, Vrishali Kulkarni, Purva Pawar

VOTD : Prosit Roy’s short ‘Bloody Moustache’

Posted: July 3, 2015 by moifightclub in short film, VOTD
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After having its screening at New York Indian Film Festival and International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, Prosit Roy’s short film Bloody Moustache is online now. Do check it out.

The film stars  Jameel Khan, Priyanka Setia and Nisshan KP Nanaiah.

It’s written and directed by Prosit Roy.

Click here to read more about the film.

Kanu Behl’s ‘Titli’ to release on October 16th, 2015

Posted: July 3, 2015 by moifightclub in cinema, Indie, News
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Titli

Finally, Kanu Behl’s much acclaimed directorial debut, Titli has a release date – October 16th, 2015. Produced by Aditya Chopra and Dibakar Banerjee, the film had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival’s Un certain regard section in 2014. Since then, the film has been doing the fest rounds.

Cast and Crew

Cast – Ranveer Shorey, Amit Sial and introducing Shashank Arora

Directed by: Kanu Behl
Produced by: Dibakar Banerjee and Yashraj Films
Music by: Karan Gour
Written by: Sharat Katariya & Kanu Behl

Official Synopsis

In the badlands of Delhi’s dystopic underbelly, Titli, the youngest member of a violent car-jacking brotherhood plots a desperate bid to escape the ‘family’ business. His struggle to do so is countered at each stage by his indignant brothers, who finally try marrying him off to ‘settle’ him. Titli, finds an unlikely ally in his new wife, caught though she is in her own web of warped reality and dysfunctional dreams. They form a strange, beneficial partnership, only to confront their inability to escape the bindings of their family roots. But is escape, the same as freedom?

For more details about the film, click here.

Labour Of Love (Asha Jaoar Majhe) – Beauty In The Boring Ordinariness

Posted: June 29, 2015 by moifightclub in Bengali, cinema, film review, Indie, Movie Recco, movie reviews
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Labour Of Love

She takes the tram, bus. He takes the bicycle.

She cooks the fish. He buys it.

She has no company for lunch. He has no company for dinner.

She opens the house. He locks it.

She cleans the clothes. He dries them.

She uses the water. He fills it up.

She has no sounds for company. He has the machines and the music.

She stitches his pant. He keeps it aside for stitching.

She counts the money. He withdraws it from the bank.

She lights up the morning agarbatti. He does the evening one.

She eats the local bakery cake for breakfast. He eats the same.

She sleeps on right side of bed. Alone. He sleeps on left side of bed. Alone.

Because she does the morning shift. And he does the night shift.

Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s Asha Jaoar Majhe (Labour Of Love) is about a middle class couple living in Calcutta, and their daily boring ordinary life. Nothing is exciting in this mundane routine, life is almost fifty-fifty in their chores. But the director captures the sight and sound of this ordinariness in almost meditative gaze, making it look gorgeous. Especially the soundscape of the city is captured in all its beauty. Close your eyes and you can hear everything which leaves strong visual impressions too – blaring loudspeakers, rattling wheels, waffling music, creaking doors, rumbling trams, a rustle here, a clank there, and few Bengali golden oldies.

A few sequences seem odd and jarring, like the one of cereals pouring in glass containers, so advertising-wala that it stood out from the rest of the mood of the film. But apart from that it’s a brave film and quite an extraordinary cinematic achievement for a first time filmmaker, much like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court which released earlier this year. And Aditya Vikram has not only directed the film, but he has also written, edited, and shot it! Waoh! Seems like this year, the new kids are leaving the veterans far behind.

Also, since my last post on Court created quite a stir and i was accused of many things including having an agenda to pull it down, let me admit it that Labour Of Love also felt like fest-bait. But thankfully, it’s not selling a desi exotica story for the west. Though i never understood why fest-bait was a bad word. If you know the trick and it lends to the grammar of your story naturally, why not. A brave new voice with a beautiful film will disarm every criticism.

Coming back to the film, the Bengali title of the film Asha Jaoar Majhe (In between arrival and departure) is more apt than the English one – Labour Of Love. Because as the day ends and a new one begins, in between there’s magic hour for the characters. It’s so rare that it has become almost surreal. And this is where the film turns magical too. It’s heartbreaking as Ritwick Chakraborty’s eyes stare at Basabdutta Chatterjee leaving for work. That’s when it hits you. The price of recession, the hard work that goes in everyday boring, ordinary life – just for a cup of tea together. Love and longing in the time of recession.

i might be wrong but it seems like this is Basabdutta’s debut feature. Haven’t seen her before. And what a find! That serene face, those expressive eyes, she doesn’t need dialogues to convey anything. And there are no dialogues in the film.

i had tried to watch the film during Mumbai Film Festival. But as the sun was setting in real time on screen, i almost felt asleep, and then decided to walk out of the film. Was too tired. And this film needs all your patience and attention. Because the atmosphere is immersive. Like the sequence where you see on the wire, in close-up, the clothes are moving one by one, you know that Ritwick is hanging them for drying. But why and how are they moving. The mystery is solved later in the film – why and how the clothes moved. It’s simple, and beautiful. With meticulous detailing, Aditya Vikram captures many such moments of everyday routines. Like the way she tucks the bus ticket in her bangle, it bought a smile on my face. Aha, Calcutta, you beauty! So if you don’t get into it, try it later. Give it a chance. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but try it – you won’t know the taste till you try it. A rare experimental beauty, this one has got a limited release. But if you are among the lucky ones where it has released, catch it.

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Movie Recco : Avinash Arun’s Killa – Taking the plunge

Posted: June 27, 2015 by moifightclub in cinema, Indie, Marathi, Movie Recco, movie reviews, Must Watch, reviews
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Five boys in their pre-teens, hailing from a small-town in Maharashtra, each knowing the loss of a dear one, jump into a lake from a height in the total abandon of childhood’s innocence. The protagonist is the last to jump; he hesitates and then takes the plunge. For me, that was the defining moment of Avinash Arun’s debut film Killa.

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Cinema world-over, is moving towards telling big stories of small people. While we continue to have (and be mesmerised) by our Interstellars and Mad Max’, we are also rejoicing in looking deeper into the souls of the commoner through the canvas of everyday life. Iranian cinema, arguably, showed the world the way, and in India, it is Marathi cinema, among other language films, which has moved the cinematic zeitgeist inwards. Little people, little moments and large stories. Not larger-than-life; very common, very grounded, very real and because of this, large. Especially gratifying is the fact that the child as the protagonist is finally here. Our lenses have finally found his story worth telling. His world is being looked into, explored, understood and loved, a practice that has always been at the periphery in our cinema. Vihir, Shwaas, Tingya, Shala, Fandry…the list keeps increasing. And now Killa.

In Killa, Avinash delves into small-town life and his own personal memories of childhood, and paints a moving and heart-warming picture of learning to fight one’s battles with life. It is the journey of a boy still grappling with the death of his father that happened two years back, and the constant change of environment that has followed. It is the story of his mother, a single woman, gritty and upright, determined to ensure she is now the father and mother to her only son. It is the story of courage to break away from the past and it is a story of love, loyalty and trust. But most importantly, and which is why it is more beautiful, it is the story of taking the plunge. And thus, finding the light at the end of the tunnel. In Killa’s case, the cave.

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“I think we have forgotten the life, the buildings, and the streets we used to have not so long ago.” Miyazaki said this about Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi. Killa, in more ways then one way, pays homage to a kind of childhood fast disappearing and one many of us have never even known. Yet, its emotional tone resonates universally, drawing in even those unfamiliar with the social landscape of the film. An intensely personal film, it is life experienced through the eyes of a sensitive, lonely, fatherless, pre-teen boy. Moving from town to town due to his mother’s transferable job, he pines for putting down roots, for friends he can grow up with and for his dead father. His mother is trying her best to be both the parents for him, stretching to breaking point to ensure him his due upbringing.  It is with a humane eye that Avinash sees the single woman’s struggle, also reflected in the elderly neighbour. Both women develop a bond of mutual respect, an intuitive sign of recognition when one kind, strong soul meets another. The women are lonely too and they are fighting it. Loneliness is the vast canvas Avinash paints his story on because little Chinmay has to break free of this very loneliness and find hope.

Killa, the central motif of the film then becomes the symbol of Chinu’s inner one, the fort of loneliness and mistrust he is caught in. His search for the exit from the fort becomes a beautiful metaphor of his efforts to get rid of the loneliness. And when he emerges into the sunshine he finds hope and trust, literally and figuratively. On the face of it, it is a simple film with a linear narrative, a well-used form. Couched within is a multi-layered narrative of an inner struggle, the experience of which is evoked rather than told. A complete freedom from the need of dramatic tension yet letting the story find its own resolution is evident in the way it unfolds and in certain ways, it is a liberating experience; to co-opt a 3 Act structure and do away with dramatic turning points yet end with confidence, is in my eyes, quite an achievement.

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The visual imagery of the film and its soundscape resonates with the simplicity of verdant, small-town life and a child’s inner tenderness. The spaces Avinash uses make up Chinnu’s external and internal world which we experience through the different locales, his home, school, bridge, fort, cave…The visuals are beautiful without being imposing or picture postcard perfect and the staging is natural, keeping the film moving with a steady rhythm of life instead of depending on the artifice of drama. Avinash also handles the small class-room dramas, especially the weaves of inter-personal relationships between children as peers with a certain tenderness and an understanding of the fragility of their world. The performances extracted out of the children are warmly naturalistic endearing each one of us with their quirks and innocence. We see them as children are, vulnerable and stubborn, inexperienced and wise. Perhaps, the biggest victory of the film is bringing to us the ‘cleanness’ of children…something that permeates into the entire experience of it.

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Ingmar Bergman said ‘No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.’ Killa does that in its own unassuming way, going directly to our feelings and deep down into the dark room of our souls and lighting it up a bit.

– Fatema H. Kagalwala

First published in the Lensight Feb 2015 issue.

First Look : Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan (Poster, Trailer)

Posted: June 27, 2015 by moifightclub in cinema
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Masaan

After winning accolades and prizes at Cannes Film Festival, Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut feature, Masaan is all set to hit the Indian screens on July, 24th. The poster and the official trailer is out too. Have a look.

Official Synopsis

Winner of the FIPRESCI prize and Promising Future Award in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2015, Masaan revolves around four lives intersecting along the Ganges: a low caste boy hopelessly in love, a young woman ridden with guilt of a sexual encounter ending in a tragedy, a hapless father with a fading morality, and a spirited child yearning for a family- as they try to escape the moral constructs of small-town India.

Set against the divine landscape of Banaras, Masaan is a celebration of Life, Death and Everything in Between.

Cast & Crew

Cast – Richa Chadha, Sanjay Mishra, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, Pankaj Tripathi

Produced By: Drishyam Films, Phantom Films, Macassar Productions and Sikhya Entertainment
Screenplay/Lyrics: Varun Grover
Director of Photography: Avinash Arun
Editor: Nitin Baid
Music: Bruno Coulais
Original Songs by Indian Ocean
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan

For more info, its FB page is here and Twitter feed is here.

Call For Entries : NFDC Film Bazaar’s Co-Production Market, 2015

Posted: June 22, 2015 by moifightclub in Call For Entries, cinema, Indie
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WHAT : NFDC’s Film Bazaar Co-Production Market 2015 has officially announced call for submissions from filmmakers with compelling South Asian stories seeking co-production, financial and artistic support from attending co-producers, sales agents, distributors and financiers from the world over.

DATES : Entries will be accepted from 19 June, 2015, and submissions close on 31 July, 2015.

HOW : 20 remarkable South Asian stories will be selected this year. Projects get to pitch their film to the Indian and international film community that attends Film Bazaar with a focus on fiction features.

– The pre-requisite of submission states that a film project must be an original story with a South Asian connect and must have a producer attached with 25% of the finance in place.

– In addition to the above the project must have scope for international co-production, distribution and sales.

In 2014 the Co-Production Market hosted 32 projects from 12 different countries.  Click here to view the 2014 Co-Production Market Selected Projects.

-The ninth edition of Film Bazaar organised by National Film Development Corporation will continue to provide intensive individual support to selected projects in a creative and informal setting at Goa Marriot Resort in Goa (India) from 20-24 November, 2015.

– Film Bazaar is organised to discover, support and showcase South Asian talent and content. The aim is to boost collaboration in the realms of filmmaking, production and distribution between the South Asian and film fraternities of the world.

– Qualified filmmakers can submit their entries by filling out an online application by registering with the market at http://www.filmbazaarindia.com/programs/co-production-market/

– Further queries can be addressed to – coproduction@filmbazaarindia.com

– Starting this year, the program has gained added leverage with the inclusion of an open forum on pitching. This activity has been introduced based on industry feedback with the intention that filmmakers should not be required to make multiple pitches during meetings.

– The forum will be organised a day prior to the start of the Co-production Market and will allow selected participants to pitch their projects to noted industry professionals attending the market. This enables participants to effectively use their time during the one-on-one meetings for more in-depth discussions focused on project specific needs and negotiations.

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