Documentary Film Festival: Taj Enlighten Film Society

Jehan Handa   | Festivals & Contests | September 26, 2009 at 1:50 am

We all complain about being fed around with bad cinema. We all talk about change, and how we dont have Fellinis and Truffauts in our world of Dil Bole Haddipa. But many of us talk, and talk, and simply talk. Very few walk the talk, very few run against the stream, and actually catch something worthwhile, something they secretly admire on this website, or many other movie loving portals. But we cant blame ourselves all the time, there are times when nothing worthwhile is actually shown. People pick a director, pick his most popular flick, screen it, and call themselves devoted towards cinema and it’s change in India. There are many tiny film clubs around India who screen something once in a blue moon, and go back to their staple diet. the moment the food starts to trouble.
I recently encountered the Taj Enlighten Film Society based in Bombay, who actually screen world cinema at their own theatre on the big screen, which makes for a wonderful viewing. A film society devoted purely to cinema and promoting meaningful cinema, their passion for cinema is evident when they recently distributed Shivajee Chandrabhushan’s Frozen and Rajesh Shera’s Ocean of an Old man, both commercialy non viable, both considered risks by mainstream distributors, but they showed courage, and ran against the stream.

Now the Enlighten Society is coming up with their own ‘Documentary Film Festival‘

The Documentary Festival begins at Enlighten this October. The best of documentaries would be screened at the festival from 4-25th October.
‘Flow’ is the first film of the festival. Shekhar Kapur shared on his blog – “For those of you that have not heard of Irena Salina, look out for her name. She has just made a terrifying, informative, well researched documentary on the future of fresh Water resources on our Planet.”
The other film is ‘War and Peace’-arguably the best documentary India has ever produced. This movie is filmed over three tumultuous years in India, Pakistan, Japan and the USA following nuclear tests in the Indian sub-continent War and Peace is a documentary journey of peace activism in the face of global militarism and war. Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan would be present to discuss ‘War and Peace’ with the audiences at the Taj Enlighten Film Society. Anand Patwardhan says that “I am excited by the decision by the Taj Enlighten Film Society to begin screening documentaries and am honored that our “War and Peace” will flag this off next month. Taj Enlighten has already brought us some world classics in fiction and extending this to the documentary is an idea whose time has come. Already in the West people like Michael Moore have proved that the documentary can be as exciting, entertaining and perhaps even more important than fiction and I see no reason why the Indian public, once exposed, will think otherwise.”
“Our association with Enlighten Film Society resonates our spirit of excellence: we at Taj Enlighten Society offer a platform to the best in the world of cinema,” said Arun Srinivas, Category Head – Beverages, HUL.
There are two other films that are going to be screened at the Festival.
One of them is the Award winning film One Crazy Ride made by Gaurav Jani about a motorcycle expedition on uncharted roads across the Himalayan stateof Arunachal Pradesh, situated in North-east India. Rakesh Sharma’s controversial film ‘Final Solution’ is also part of the festival. The Screenings of these films would be held at Cinemax and Metro Big Cinemas.

Mr. Tushar Dhingra, COO, BIG Cinemas said, “Global awareness among Indian audiences has made them desirous for distinct international experiences. By screening world cinema and globally renowned documentaries in association with Enlighten Film Society at Metro BIG Cinemas we are not just providing an enriching cultural experience to our guests but also giving them a chance to enjoy world class portfolio of unmatched films on the big screen.”

For contact: Visit www.enlighten.co.in or Call:9870090105

1 Comment

1. Hemant Gaba says:

   September 27, 2009 at 8:42 am

   This is good. .i will be looking forward to the festival.
   BTW i watched Malegaon ka Superman .. it was brilliant..because i was entertained..
   Thanks Jehan.

   UN:F [1.7.5_995]

   Rating: +1 (from 1 vote)

   Reply

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