Posts Tagged ‘The Lunhcbox’

Ritesh Batra’s reply to FFI letter on Oscar Controversy

Posted: October 1, 2013 by moifightclub in bollywood, cinema, Indie, News
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And here’s the latest one, and hopefully, the closing chapter in the ongoing Oscar controversy. Ritesh Batra, director of The Lunchbox, has replied to the FFI letter.

Dear Sir,
I just received your letter. Many industry stalwarts have made comments similar to mine but you sent the letter to me, a debutant filmmaker, but I am honoured and proud to speak for my film and team. If an apology is what you demand, you have it. Both you and the jury have my wholehearted apology.

There was no intent to hurt anyone, but rather to participate in the vigorous debate that this decision ignited in the public domain.

I sincerely hope that the annual reactions to our Academy selections from the national press, and this year from even the international press, prompt a new policy for the selection. Sir, please use your good offices to give us a transparent, objective process with a public and not a secret jury. It is a direct and humble request, not a criticism.

I have moved on from this debate to focus on more productive pursuits and I would encourage everyone to do the same. With much respect for your tough job.

Ritesh

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Ritesh Batra

Writer/Director

@riteshbatra on Twitter

http://www.riteshbatra.com

Sony Classics picks up “The Lunchbox” which bagged Grand Rail d’Or at Cannes

Posted: May 24, 2013 by moifightclub in cinema, Film Festival, Indie, News
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Lunchbox

Aha, this is what you call a break out film. First, premiere at Cannes Film Festival in International Critics Week. Followed up by rave reviews. Then the Grand Rail d’Or Award. And now, the big news – Sony Classic Pictures picks up the US rights of the film.

According to this report in Variety,Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all U.S. rights to Ritesh Batra’s feature debut “The Lunchbox”,  a Cannes Critics’ Week standout.

Copy-pasting excerpts from the report…..

Repped by Germany’s The Match Factory, the Mumbai-set crowd-pleaser got a standing ovation following its Cannes unspooling.

At Cannes, SPC also acquired all U.S. rights to Iranian helmer Asghar Farhadi’s Paris-set drama “The Past,” starring Berenice Bejo and Tahar Rahim, which is vying for a Palme d’Or.

SPC has a strong track record when it comes to acquiring foreign arthouse films with strong Oscar potential. Last year, it nabbed Michael Haneke’s “Amour,” which was nominated for five Oscar nods and won best foreign-language film.

Gaul’s Happiness Distribution also picked up ”Lunchbox.” It is one of four Indian entries that bowed at Cannes, which is celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema.

No wonder many critics already termed it as a film with crossover appeal. Click here to read the reviews here.

The Lunhcbox.jpg large

Also, the film recently bagged the Grand Rail d’Or Award at Cannes.  According to DearCinema, since 1995, a group of rail worker film enthusiasts presents the Golden Rail awards to two films in Cannes Critics’ Week: Petit Rail d’Or for best short film and Grand Rail d’Or  for best feature. So it’s kind of viewers choice award.

Written and directed by Ritesh Batra, the film stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Denzil Smith and Bharati Achrekar. To read its official synopsis and full cast/crew details, click here.