Many Indian films made their entry at the recently concluded 68th annual Cannes Film Festival hoping to grab attention and critical acclaim.
It is a dream come true for any filmmaker to showcase his flick at the Cannes Film Festival.
‘Miyan Kal Aana’, directed by Shamas Nawab Siddiqui, was one of the prominent movies from India to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
This film explores the intricacy of ‘Halala Law’, when a couple is faced with a complex situation.
“When I found the subject, I was sure I wanted to make a film on the same,” says Siddiqui while talking about the film.
The director adds he was confident enough that the film would be selected at Cannes because of the uniqueness of the subject.
Made on a budget of Rs. nine lakhs for a 17-minute film, it is backed by actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who happens to be the director’s elder brother.
Justifying the cost behind the film, Siddiqui clarifies that unlike other short films, he and his producers ensured that every person associated with the film was paid his or her dues.
Shot in Budhana (Uttar Pradesh) and Delhi, the film delves deep into how women are relegated as mute spectators in the society as patriarchy takes major decisions for them.
Delhi-based filmmaker Madhureeta Anand also came up with a similar subject. She presented her film ‘Kajarya’, which deals with the sensitive issue of sex selection and gender violence, at the festival.
Madhureeta reveals that the major revelation while researching for the film has been the fact that sex discrimination is more prevalent amongst the educated and economically advantaged than the uneducated section of society.
“The truth is patriarchy is the enemy of love, equality and peaceful co-existence. It’s not even about men and women as genders,” she adds.
The filmmaker is currently shooting for a feature film titled ‘Kotha No 22’, which is a thriller set in a brothel. The shooting of the film is expected to start in Agra in September.
‘Smile Foundation’ from India was also present at the festival with a variety of films.
“There are many festivals, but Cannes is the biggest cinema platform where leading distributors, broadcasters and promoters from across the globe participate and here all the participants are very serious about their approach,” says Jitendra Mishra, the festival director of ‘Smile Foundation’.
Mishra, who visited Cannes to promote his flicks, even talked about the future of children’s films in India.
“I believe films are the most powerful medium to depict the reality in an interesting and engaging way,” he elaborates.
However, he laments that even though India has the largest youth population in the world, there are hardly any good films for them.
Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s film ‘Masaan’ was awarded the International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) award at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival.
Set in Varanasi, the film explores the stories of four people from a small village and how they struggle to deal with their moral dilemmas.
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