Kolkata: Twenty-one year after Buddhadeb Dasgupta ‘Uttara’ won a special director award at the Venice Film Festival, the winner of the National Attaint of Aditya Vikram Sengapta’s Bengali Film, ‘Once on Calcutta’ (Ouatic), was in the Condyeded Festival competition.
This will compete in the Orizonti section and is the only Indian film at the 78th Venice International Film Festival.
The Film of Sengupta, starring SREELEKHA Mitra and Bratya Basu, among others, will have the prime of the world at the Festival held from September 1-11.
The Bengal Venetian connection returned to 1934 when Debaki Kumar Bose created history there.
He directed ‘Seeta’ under the banners of the East Indian film company and it was the first Indian Talkie displayed at every international film festival and won the honorary diploma.
Bose was the first Indian who received a global award.
Satyajit Ray ‘Aparajito’ won the Golden Lion at the 1957 Venice Film Festival.
The next major award in Bengal came to ‘Uttara’ in 2000.
In 2014, ‘LOVE’ LOOK ‘SENGINDA (‘ Asha Jaoar Majhe ‘) was in the official election of the edition 11 Days Venice – Independent sidebar from the Venice Festival film.
Sengupta said, “We are excited to return with the film Bengali about Kolkata, especially in the year of contrasting the birth of Satyajit Ray.” Sengupta was happy to share this news with Buddhadeb Dasgupta before the Director of ‘Uttara’ died.
Actor Jaya Seal Ghosh, who played the role of the title in ‘Uttara’, said, “The film Bengali competes in Venice in a rigid Buddha died.
This is the best award to him.” Some contemporary Indian films have competed in Venice lately.
Chaitanya Tamhane ‘The students’ pocketed Fipressi award last year; ‘Meel Patthar’ Ivan Ayr has been premiered in Orrizonti last year while ‘Chola’ Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was there in 2019.
‘Court’ Tamane became the first and the only Indian production to win the best film award in Orizzonti in 2014.
Some makers complain that Tollywood films are not even watched by the selection committee.
However, Sengupta called all these reasons.
“It’s all just a myth coming out of laziness.
It’s very difficult to continue if someone is not ready to invest time and love something strong enough to raise it properly,” he said.
The Sengupta film was shot by Palme d’Or Winner Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Cinematographer Go-Khan Tiryaki, and the music was by the Dutch composer Minco Eggersman.
The director said the film was his efforts to membregilize the “layer of the city that was previously communist” to reveal tragic human condition, but optimistic.
“I shot throughout Kolkata and tried to look at a glimpse into the turbid waters in the city with colorful characters who tried to find their own corners without sinking,” he said.
Playing the role of the protagonist (ELA) is a partner.
Others at Ensemble Cast include Savar Satrajit, Arinda Ghosh, Reetika Nondine Shimu, Anirban Chakrabarti and Shayak Roy.
Non-professional actors, including Sengupta’s father, tridib, also features in a significant role.
“I faced criticism and insult by my industry colleagues.
But I continued the way I thought right.
Venice’s announcement has justified my stand,” said partner.
Basu said, “The choice of this film in Venice is a way to give a recognition to someone who is worthy of respect.”