A classroom full of arguments about what its name should be - finally it came down to a vote...
Jane Campion, the maker of films like The Piano, Holy Smoke, Sweetie, Portrait of a Lady, is the Jury Chairperson of the MAMI festival.
It makes me ECSTATIC because she is one of my top fav’ filmmakers! My post graduation entrance exam asked for an essay on a filmmaker’s work and I wrote about her film ‘The Piano’ 🙂
In 2006, at the International Film festival of India in Goa- she was screening Holy Smoke. Meeting her there is one moment I will always cherish. Dressed in a simple skirt with two pigtails and the warmest smile that reached out to you just like her films. I was in complete awe of her and just managed to mumble something like “I love your films!” As we spoke more, she asked me a question I will never forget.
At that stage I was beginning to make my first feature – and when I shared this with her she asked me “Have you prepared yourself?” Surprised that she was curious, I promptly rattled off that half the money was in place, the script was int he 8th draft, the casting was happening etc. Gently, she interrupted me and said – “no… I mean have you prepared yourself?” Â I stared at her not understanding what she meant.
Its been a fun one month when we travelled around a few film festivals in Europe with Manjadikuru & Kerala Cafe. Fortunately both films were received very well… I really enjoy interacting with viewers who know nothing about the film/s or me or our culture because I find they leave out the diplomacy. At these fests people would come up after a screening speaking in French or German and I’d have no clue what they were saying! But amidst a lot of body language, laughter or tears (depending on which movie!) they did reach out and convey what the movie meant to them. And that leaves me with a warm and fuzzy feeling 🙂
The other day a lady called NURA wrote to me mentioning that she felt alienated from her own culture because she was an "unfortunate NRI".  She felt that she was judged even before she spoke.[Reference http://anjalimenon.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/barack-obama-david-letterman/#comments] It can be quite a predicament when one has lived in multiple cities and countries and identifies with different...
This month my calendar has a lot of red marks - each of them indicate deadlines and right now February looks like a floral rangoli pattern!! How is it that the universe conspires to bring all the things on at the same time? Thank you for all the responses to the posts! Am actually...
Jayakrishnan of jaykayu@rediffmail.com posted a comment on this blog on 17.1.2010: Thanks a lot for Happy Journey. It was wonderful – my favorite from Kerala Cafe. I hope upcoming artists like you can answer the foreign delegate at IFFK who asked “Where have all the Malayali women directors gone?”. All the best! Thank you...
At International Film Festival of Kerala 2009, today is a quiet day - so far - all in anticipation of the awards announcement this evening. An interesting sight to see jury members in hushed corners debating over decisions and filmmakers wondering about their fortunes...
"Oh my gawd, they're loving it!!!" "am getting goosebumps reading the reviews" "party party PARTY!" "i didnt get tickets coz it was housefull - and that makes me very happy!" "WOOHOO!" (and there was this one guy who called me and was quiet - a few fumbled words later, I figured he couldn't stop smiling!) These are responses I...
For the first time in my life, a film I made is being released today. A film called Kerala Cafe. A 63 print release in Kerala. 10 directors to share the excitement and anxiety with. What exactly am I feeling besides the butterflies in my tummy?!!! The closest approximation I can make is the kind...
