Nandita's First Post
Nandita Das - July 05, 2005
In April this year, I was travelling in the US, for various reasons- speaking at the Cornell University, presenting Bawander at the Washington DC International Film Festival, helping out and shooting for, a short film for a close friend from Pakistan, looking for support for a project that I am writing and hoping to direct someday, and so on...and this is when I received the invitation to be on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival!
Christian Jeune, the director of the Film Festival called me and gave me the good news. And in two days I got a formal but a very warm letter by fax, from Gilles Jacob, the President of the Film Festival. Of course I felt honoured at being selected, but I was also truly surprised. I have to admit, that once the news sunk in, it was for me a validation of some choices I had made.
My decisions of doing selective films, and not just in Hindi, but in 'regional ' languages, not living in the film city, but in Delhi, not living a life of an actress, etc were often seen as wrong choices, even by many of my well wishers. While I have always followed my heart and done what felt right, this news somehow reassured me in an external sort of a way. I have instinctively anchored towards projects that I could relate to, my choices have always has been influenced by my artistic and social commitment (although some of them have not quite turned out the way I had imagined or wanted them to be). But I was happy that I had at least made those choices for honest reasons.
I think it would be inappropriate for me to pretend to know why exactly I was selected. This is a question better addressed to those who made the selection. I am just looking forward to being part of the jury and getting an opportunity to interact with other accomplished and experienced artists and filmmakers, to see some of the best films made during the last one year from around the world and to get to know the different perspectives through which the medium of film is judged and evaluated.
Of course it is disappointing that there are no official entries from India. But it is certainly an opportunity to ask ourselves why this is so. While Indian films, bollywood ones in particular, are becoming increasingly popular among the Indian Diaspora and beyond, it is probably time that we explored the full range of cinema, both in its form and content. I think we should be brutally honest and ask ourselves whether our films are good enough for this level of international platform. Having said that, it must also be understood that there are of course some films that show sensitivity and an artistic expression and are overlooked or are unable to go through the processes that are required for submission and acceptance. But we know it is not lack of money, talent or stories that stops us from producing masterpieces now a days.
I am aware that Cannes is full of glitter and glamour, my focus is however, to take my responsibility as a juror seriously and not get bogged down by the other trappings and baggage that comes with the media attention such an occasion generates.
I am looking forward to a great learning experience and also having a wonderful time. An experience of a lifetime!
(This article was written before the Cannes Film Festival. Tomorrow, the next entry will be about After Cannes...)
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Posted by Nandita Das at July 5, 2005 05:11 AM
Comments
Nandita, thank you for the insight. I read earlier this year that you were going to be a judge at the Cannes film festival and I was excited at the prospect that a distinguished actress from India was selected to be a juror. Regarding your point about no official entries in India, somewhat of a similiar situation plagues the United States with NRI (Non-resident Indians). Having reported on the "new wave" of Indo-American films over the past 5 years the simliarities are uncanny. And one common thread I see carried over here are Indian American filmmakers making films for Indian audiences as their primary target. A strategy which has by all accounts been lukewarm in reception at best. I think you have hit a nail on the head when you ask the question "I think we should be brutally honest and ask ourselves whether our films are good enough for this level of international platform." A casual observation of Indian American films released in the United States are plagued by the same discrepencies, and the filmmakers or these films, themselves reference bollywood films as their primary influence. An influence mind you of a genre (bollywood) which has never been a theatrical success in the United States of America. However, the "general or mainstream" audiences in the United States, which I deem to be more receptive to ethnic themed cinema more so than ever before have to be given something to sink their proverbial teeth into. Unfortunately the current crop of films focus on the arranged marriage, in sixteen degrees of seperation or interpretation whatever catches your fancy, and quite frankly nobody outside of the Indian community is really interested because it isn't their culture. Does the art evolve from here? I agree with you, more so on the overall impact of Indian cinema, where are the new original voices? Looking forward to your further posts and the insight you gained from your Cannes film festival experience!
HEY I READ YEATERDAY ONE ARTICLE IN HINDUSTAN TIMES AND ANY NEWS BOUT YOU MAKE ME REALLY HAPPY SO JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND A ANY BLOG KNID OF FROM WHERE I CAN MORE INFO ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING PLANS AND YOUR LATEST GIGS & FINANALYY I CAME ACROOS THIS BLOG OF YOURS..DIDN'T LIKE IT MUCH BUT SURE YOU WILL COME STRONG IN YOUR COMING BLOGS,,LOOKING FORWARD TO IT..& WANTED ONE ADVICE FROM YOU ABOUT WRITING SINCE I WANTED TO GET IN TO JOUNALISIAM SRTUDIES ,
KINDLY ASSIST BUT ONLNY IN INDIA I JUST APPERED IN BCOM THIS YEAR AND DO NOT HAVE VERY STRONG FAMILY BACKGROUND BUT I M EARNING NET AMOUNT 12,000 AT THE MOMENT..I HOPE YOU'LL COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTION IF NOT THAN ALSO NO PROBLEM GOD BLESS YOU.
REGARDS
Hi Nandita...reading the paper yest...i was thrilled to know u are a blogger too :-)...being an avid fan..i am just thrilled...I'm indeed happy that I can say something to u this way...will def check u'r blogs...and will post my comments...but for now...i am thrilled
Dear Nandita,
Well I became your fan long time ago when I saw you as kannaki in the malayalam movie (or even before that ??). After that saw most of your movies. You are a 'Bundle of Talents'. I really got thrilled the other day reading about you in the news paper (THE HINDU). I smiled and told myself that, now I know how to send a messege to you :)Well I can say I am fan of your dad's works too.:)
I like your attitude and I would love to take this opportunity to wish you all the success in the future.
Take care and keep Smiling.
Usha
i am looking forward to this movie
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Nandita, I've spent the last hour reading about you on the net and I must say that I like your attitude very much. I live in Sweden and I wonder why we don't know more about Indian cinema in this part of the world... I'm happy that you're here to share.