FILMMAKER LAPID & HIS COMMENT AS CRITIC!

Currently an Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid is in the news for criticising 'The Kashmir Files' as propaganda film! On this background, I remember his film watched in our 'IFFI', 2014 at Goa. And it was 'The Kindergarten Teacher' which showed his sensibility!

Lapid wrote-directed that film revolves around a caring relationship of teacher with a small boy who is gifted with poetry and how she protect his talent! Sarit Larry did this role very sensitively with child artist Avi Shnaidman. This film won '45th IFFI's 'Silver Peacock' & Sarit won 'Best Actress' award!

After that Lapid's complex autobiographical Film 'Synonyms' (2019) won 'Golden Bear' award at 'Berlin International Film Festival'!

He is not only filmmaker but also film critic..So wise enough as jury head of '53rd IFFI' to make his strong comment on above film!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Tribute to beautiful famous Urdu Poetess Parveen Shakir ji..a distinctive feminine voice..on her 70th Birth Anniversary!

- Manoj Kulkarni

HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF OUR SECULAR INDIA..MADAM INDIRA JI GANDHI ON 105TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY!

- Manoj Kulkarni

DE SICA AND ZAVATTINI.. DIRECTOR & WRITER DUO OF NEOREALIST CINEMA!

Today is Death Anniversary of Italian Actor-Director Vittorio De Sica and last month on same date was Death Anniversary of  Italian Screenwriter & Theorist Cesare Zavattini..great pioneers of Neo-Realist Cinema!

Important turning point came in Vittorio De Sica's film career when he met writer Cesare Zavattini. De Sica directed great Neo-realist films on the scripts wrote by Zavattini. In these first was 'Sciuscia' ('Shoeshine'/1946)..focus on the life of slum children through the struggle of two shoeshine boys. And another was 'Ladri di biciclette' (1948) famous 'Bicycle Thieves'..which follows the story of a poor man with his little son..in search of their bicycle which is stolen & the man needs it for job!

Both the films received honorary 'Oscar' awards! These influenced to the filmmakers in the world. In our India..Bimal Roy's film 'Do Bigha Zameen' (1953) was inspired from 'Bicycle Thieves'. And Raj Kapoor's film 'Boot Polish' (1954) was based on 'Shoeshine'!

After that, De Sica made notable films on the unique screenplays written by Zavattini. These includes 'Umberto D' (1952) and 'Two Women' (1961) in which famous Italian actress Sophia Loren acted superbly & won 'Best Actress Oscar' award!

I admire their Neo-realist Cinema which completed 75 years!
Homage to them!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

GHATAK'S 'NAGORIK'..70!

Ritwik Ghatak's 70 years old first film 'Nagorik' (1952).

Today is 97th Birth Anniversary of great Bengali Filmmaker-Screenwriter Ritwik Ghatak!..Mostly known for his emotional social films..close to Neo-realistic Cinema!

Great Ritwik Ghatak's view of directing film!

In 1952 he wrote & directed his first film 'Nagorik' which was first Art & neo-realist film in Bengali cinema! It reflected lower middle-class emotions and unemployment through documentary realism! But this film released twenty-four years later (after his death) in 1977. So missed the honour of becoming pioneer of Bengali art and neo-realistic film of Indian cinema..And that honour went to Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' which released in 1955. But Ray praised Ghatak as truly original talent in Indian cinema!

Realism of Ritwik Ghatak's film 'Nagorik' (1952).

Great Ramananda Sengupta cinematographed this film 'Nagorik' in realistic way. In this, artists Satindra Bhattacharya, Prova Debi, Kali Banerjee, Sova Sen, Ketaki Dutta, Geeta Shome & Ajit Banerjee did their roles effectively!

This is 70th anniversary year of 'Nagorik' (1952) which later proved that Ghatak was real pioneer of our Neo-realistic Cinema!

I still remember watching this film during our Film Appreciation Course at FTII in 1989! That time his elder daughter Samhita Ghatak was also with us!

Tribute to this genius & his this film!!

- Manoj Kulkarni