nov 10-14 2010 - Rehoboth Beach Film Society

CounTRy spoTlIghT: IndIa
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CounTRy spoTlIghT: IndIa
by Ramsey Furse
each year country Spotlight showcases the art of filmmaking from a specific region by
presenting a selection of films that expose audiences to the culture and lives of people in
distant lands.
this experience is further enhanced in the big tent where festival attendees can participate
in a variety of cultural activities that further acquaint us with the traditions of the featured
country (See live in the lounge, pages 92-93). country Spotlight also engages industry
professionals to lead a seminar so we may learn the differences and similarities of the film
industry around the globe.
although countries may have cultural, religious, and political differences, country Spotlight
reveals the universality of the human experience. be sure to include country Spotlight
activities in your Festival schedule. you will be glad that you did!
this year we are pleased to present country Spotlight: india
While the attention of most international media is focused on
the palm tree laden streets of Hollywood when it comes time
to report on the film business, it is the streets of Bollywood
which are some of the most vibrant in the industry. For several
decades now the film industry of India, has been the most
prolific one in the world, and one of the most diverse ones as
well. In 2009, a total of 1,288 feature films plus 200 shorts were
made in India.
The term “Bollywood” is often used incorrectly, as it refers just
to the Hindi filmmaking center of Mumbai (formerly Bombay),
instead of to the entire Indian film business. India is a nation of
many different languages which is reflected in the 24 different
languages used in feature films released in 2009 alone.
The most recognized director in Indian history, is Satyajit Ray.
His best known films are The Apu Trilogy, a series of films about
a young Bengali boy growing up in the early decades of the
1900’s. Of these three films, Panther Panchali, the first one in
the series, is the one which established Ray’s international
reputation. These films would be at the forefront of “parallel
cinema,” also known as the “Indian New Wave,” one of the
preeminent movements in art film in Indian history. Ray would
go on to make many more critically acclaimed films throughout
his lifetime, and would receive an Honorary Oscar in 1992, just
weeks before his death.
While Ray’s more naturalistic style might have been the best
example of Indian cinema, the common type of films shown
in modern-day India, are elaborate action and drama filled
epics, which frequently feature several grand song and dance
numbers, regardless of the genre of the rest of the film. This
blending of numerous, and in theory, disparate elements from
different genres into a single film is called a “masala film” and
is very popular in India.
All of this might not have been possible however, without the
work of Dadasaheb Phalke, known as the Father of Indian
Cinema. Originally trained in photography, Phalke was so
enamored after a 1910 showing of the film The Life of Christ that
he became determined to create a local film business in India,
which would focus on Indian values and folklore. After going
overseas to train in England, he would return and make his
first film Raja Harishchandra, and one that would prove to be the
beginning of a string of successes. Throughout the rest of the
decade his films would become more popular and critically
acclaimed, while at the same time staying true to the Indian
culture that Phalke sought to represent. Indian gods and
goddesses were portrayed in his films, and Indians themselves
would act out the characters. His films were truly a national
affair, and while he would fall out of favor after the rise of
talkies, his early attempts at creating a national style of film
would give birth to a gigantic legacy of film.
The Indian films that make up the spotlight contain a great
balance of big blockbusters and powerful and sophisticated
independent cinema, which is experiencing a surge in the type
of films being made in the country.