Archives






Nine Editorial
Director Profile

The Other Akerman : The Essay Film in News From Home (1976)

A rumination on how Chantal Akerman “captures a key element of the essay film, which is the use of theory: making theory into art and art into theory… The artwork is not cerebral; it uses theory, careful calculation to capture the new through an accident…”


/ Devdutt Trivedi
The Other Akerman : The Essay Film in News From Home (1976)
  • Review
    Nine
    Chitrangada; or The Oppositional Design An examination of one of Rituparno Ghosh’s final films, a personal effort dealing with the director’s themes of gender, sexual identity and the place of “the other” in Indian society.
    / Zinia Mitra
  • Review
    Nine
    The “Movie of Ideas”: Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus An examination of how context determines style and narrative, with recent festival-favourite Ship of Theseus placed in the middle of a  wider discussion about films with puzzle narratives.
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • The Canon
    Nine
    Andha Canon; or The Strange Case of the Indian Film Canon The author takes a shot at canon formation, especially in the context of Indian Cinema given the sudden awareness that we have officially completed hundred years of making films.
    / Srikanth Srinivasan
  • The Canon
    Nine
    A Tribute to Meghe Dhaka Tara (Ritwik Ghatak, 1960) As part of the Canon Project, a tribute to The Cloud Capped Star, Ghatak’s most popular masterpiece, which it places in a wider discussion of the melodramatic form in film.
    / Adrian Martin
  • review
    Nine
    Argo, Orient Yourself! An essay on how old orientalist assumptions continue to persist even in a seemingly liberal work like the Oscar winning Argo
    / Kaz Rahman
  • Review
    Nine
    The Grandmaster: The Age of Refinement Wong Kar Wai’s new film is a deconstruction/reconstruction of martial arts arts cinema, an embrace of the great cinematic export of Hong Kong.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • +Plus
    Nine
    Nicholas Ray : An American Journey by Bernard Eisenschitz Book Review: Nicholas Ray: An American Journey
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • +Plus
    Nine
    General Review - Theatrical Releases General Review: Theatrical Releases
    / Sudarshan Ramani, Anuj Malhotra and Soham Gadre
  • +Plus
    Nine
    General Review - Independent Releases General Review: Independent Releases
    / Ankan Kazi, Sudipto Basu and Anuj Malhotra
Eight Editorial
Director Profile

The Real RocknRolla: Tony Scott’s Cinema of Surfaces

The late Tony Scott is one of the key architects of mainstream action cinema over the last thirty years. A discussion of his style, the hidden depths of his heroes behind the kinetic surface of his blockbusters and the influence he has had on filmmakers like Michael Bay. 


/ Satish Naidu
The Real RocknRolla: Tony Scott’s Cinema of Surfaces
  • Director Profile
    Eight
    The Wandering Company: Merchant-Ivory Productions and Post-Colonial Cinema A discussion of post-colonial and hybrid identities in Ruth Prawar Jhabwala’s collaborations with Merchant-Ivory through an examination of titles such as Shakespeare WallahHeat and Dust and Bombay Talkie.
    / Harmanpreet Kaur
  • Review
    Eight
    The Sinister Chandelier Hitchcock’s thrillers, from The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog onwards, forges a geometry of terror using objects found in a living room. In that, the films Hitchcock forges the most are at their molecule, family dramas.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • Director Profile
    Eight
    The Magical Cabinet of Suarteh Yrboq The works of the Brothers Quay, with particular attention to the disorienting meta-spaces that they create so effortlessly and the effects and ruptures they provoke in the viewer.
    / Rahee Punyashloka
  • Review
    Eight
    Wes Anderson's Kingdom The various parts of Wes Anderson’s apparatus gears together to form one of the sweetest and most beautiful love stories in recent cinema and perhaps one of the most important films of Anderson’s career.
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • Essay
    Eight
    Lost in Translation: Trials and Tribulations of the Academy Award’s Best Foreign Film Category Cultural and Economic issues in the great horse race for international validation at the Academy Awards.
    / Soham Gadre
  • Discoveries
    Eight
    Discoveries, Edition 2012 A compilation of the diary entries of a few cine-enthusiasts, with recollections, regrets and rewatches of a year in cinema, as they saw it.
    / Various
  • Review
    Eight
    An Era of Soft Economics An examination of Andrew Dominik’s Killing Them Softly, the best liked post-noir crime film of 2012, with special attention given to its socio-economic portrayal of the recession-era American landscape.
    / Gautam Valluri
  • Interview
    Eight
    An Interview with Ian Birnie Ian Birnie has programmed in New York, Los Angeles and for the last two years in Mumbai, he discusses his career and offers a range of interesting observations on festival organization and cinephilia.
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • Festival Report
    Eight
    Top of the Heap : A Look Back at the 14th Annual Mumbai Film Festival The festival wrapped up in October but this small dossier includes a list of the best titles played during the festival, an interview with one of the main orchestrators and the transcript of an excellent panel: enough to account for the small delay.
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • +Plus
    Eight
    General Review: Independent Titles General Review: Independent Titles
    / Anuj Malhotra, Sudarshan Ramani & Andres Tapia-Urza
  • +Plus
    Eight
    General Review: Screen Diary General Reviews: Screen Diary
    / Rahee Punyashloka
  • +Plus
    Eight
    General Review: New Theatrical Releases General Review: Theatrical Releases
    / Anuj Malhotra, Sudarshan Ramani and Soham Gadre
  • +Plus
    Eight
    Zona Book Review: Zona
    / Anamaria Dobinciuc
  • Transcript
    Eight
    Film Restoration in Global and Indian Contexts The Mumbai Film Festival organized what some call the first panel on Film Restoration and Preservation in India. Here’s a transcript of this wide-ranging fascinating discussion.
    / Sudarshan Ramani
Seven Editorial
Essay

The Archives Project

An examination, with refined skepticism, of the implications of the decline of institutional film culture, the rise of Blu-Ray and DVD, and the related spread of online cinephilia.


/ Daryl Chin
The Archives Project
  • Director Profile
    Seven
    Beyond Realism : The Films of Philippe Garrel Philippe Garrel is one of the most personal and uncompromising artists in contemporary cinema. An examination of the aspects of Garrel’s style, focusing on the period in his career that followed in the wake of L’Enfant secret.
    / Rahee Punyashloka
  • Roundtable
    Seven
    Hugo : A Roundtable Much delayed for Indian release, Martin Scorsese’s latest film, Hugo, is discussed at length, by way of digressions to issues like the traumas of mid-century wars, machines in the cinema and the idea of cinephilia.
    / Various
  • DVD Review
    Seven
    Mani Kaul on DVD A discussion of some of the particular qualities of Mani Kaul’s uncompromising art, and its transfer onto home-video.
    / Devdutt Trivedi
  • Historical
    Seven
    Cinema of Bengal: A Historical Narrative (Part II) The second part of an overview of the cinematic history of Bengal, chronicling its post-war glories and the remnants of it which still persist.
    / Shantanu Ray Chaudhari
  • General Review
    Seven
    General Review General Reviews: A sample of some of the big-screen theatrical films on offer in the last three months. 
    / Anuj Malhotra, Sudarshan Ramani, Satish Naidu
  • Essay
    Seven
    To Live in Half-Measures An overview of the changing personal beliefs of Dibakar Banerjee, his critical reception and an appraisal of his latest film Shanghai.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • Festival Report
    Seven
    Edinburgh Brief A summary of the 2012 Edinburgh Intenational Film Festival
    / David Cairns
  • Essay
    Seven
    A Letter from Chandigarh The MeTa Movie Club, organized by Surbhi Goel and friends, is the subject of this first-person account of moviegoing in Chandigarh, India’s only planned city
    / Surbhi Goel
Essay

Influence of the ‘location-space’ in Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point

An examination of how the choice of location, or the location-space assumed central significance in the process of shooting of Michelangelo Antonioni’s notorious film Zabriskie Point.


/ Devdutt Trivedi
Influence of the ‘location-space’ in Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point
  • Discoveries
    Six
    Discoveries Six contributors elaborate on their private discoveries in cinema during the last year.
    / Various
  • +Plus
    Six
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Theatrical Releases
    / Gautam Valluri and Anuj Malhotra
  • Historical
    Six
    Cinema of Bengal: A Historical Narrative (Part I) An elaborately constructed chronicle of the institution of cinema in one of the foremost film-producing centres in the country, Bengal, through the pioneers in the nascent stages to the masters who recognized the artistic capabilities of the medium. The first half of a two-part anthology.
    / Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri
  • Book Review
    Six
    Catching the Big Fish: David Lynch Book Review: Catching the Big Fish
    / Anamaria Dobinciuc
Five Editorial
Essay

The Artificial Insemination of Reality

More than in living life, we believe in a reality. Authenticity is replaced by the symbolic power of the virtual and we are incapable of noticing that illusion. The representation of the virtual and not of the real is what we could call “generation of reality”. 


/ Andres Tapia-Urzua
The Artificial Insemination of Reality
  • Review
    Five
    Almayer's Folly A review of Chantal Akerman’s return to narrative filmmaking was screened in Mumbai this year. 
    / Sudarshan Ramani
  • Essay
    Five
    Approaching Present Infinity, Part 2 An essay on the notions of intentionality and causality within art, and the ductility of these concepts when applied to film.
    / Devdutt Trivedi
  • Festival Report
    Five
    Festival Report: Revolutions and Political Processes at the 16th International Film Festival of Kerala A brief round up of the 16th International Film Festival of Kerala featuring Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Under the Hawthorn Tree, The Minister, Black Butterflies and more. 
    / Ankan Kazi
  • Review
    Five
    Govind Nihalani's Party: A Network of Confrontations An inquiry into Govind Nihalani’s early near-masterpiece about the elite in Mumbai as they create an island of indifference for themselves during the course of an evening party.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • +Plus
    Five
    Cinéma 68 Book Review: Cinéma 68
    / Anamaria Dobinciuc
  • Review
    Five
    The Assassination of Jesse James by Coward Robert Ford This film is less interested in the details and events of his life, but more in deconstructing Robert Ford’s perception of his “idol” and his relationship with James as his psyche deteriorates towards the end of his life
    / Ravi Iyer
  • Capsule Reviews
    Five
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Theatrical Releases
    / Gautam Valluri and Anuj Malhotra
Four Editorial
Director Profile

Euphoria and Liberating Laughter: The Cinema of Sergio Leone

In perhaps his most personal work to date, Adrian Martin looks back at his childhood and his memories of first watching the films of Sergio Leone. 


/ Adrian Martin
Euphoria and Liberating Laughter: The Cinema of Sergio Leone
  • Interview
    Four
    Interview with Kumar Shahani Originally published in June 1984 in the Sunday Observer, this rare conversation takes us back to the Kumar Shahani who had just completed Tarang (1984) and was looking towards a changing Parallel Cinema scene in India.
    / Rafique Baghdadi and Rajiv Rao
  • Director Profile
    Four
    To Grope in the Dark: A Profile of Joon-Ho Bong Even if Joon-Ho Bong is considered widely as a modern film director, a contemporary of luminaries from all over the world, his concerns are very classical: character-tropes, conspiracy theories, political subtext and simple-minded storytelling.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • Review
    Four
    Searching for Metaphors in 'The Tree of Life' Terrence Malick’s latest film is no ordinary piece of cinema. It will most probably change the way films are made and will no doubt give rise to pale imitations. One can only try to fully understand the workings of this epic tale. But for that, one must go within.
    / Gautam Valluri
  • Essay
    Four
    Underground: Music as a Door through the Absurd World of Yugoslavian History A look at Emir Kusturica’s second Palme d’Or winning film Underground through the thread of music, the key to the magical ‘flow’ of the story alongside heavy political and historical situations. 
    / Kaz Rahman
  • Interview
    Four
    "Try that with a Red": Interview with Martin Ruhe Martin Ruhe has gained considerable reputation for his work on Anton Corbijn films Control (2007) and The American (2010). He shares his views on cinematography, the rise of video technology and working with Corbijn
    / Gautam Valluri
  • +Plus
    Four
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Theatrical Releases
    / Gautam Valluri and Anuj Malhotra
Three Editorial
Interview

'We don't look for grey shades': An Interview with Girish Kasaravalli

In this exclusive interview with Srikanth Srinivasan, 4-time National Award-winning Kannada filmmaker Girish Kasravalli discusses his films, the state of cinema today, among other things.


/ Srikanth Srinivasan
'We don't look for grey shades': An Interview with Girish Kasaravalli
  • Essay
    Three
    Approaching Present Infinity, Part 1 A study into the film audience’s contemporary reliance on the ‘narrative’ and cinema’s subsequent turning to literary form to propagate itself.
    / Devdutt Trivedi
  • Film Review
    Three
    Dil Se… A look at Mani Ratnam’s landmark Bollywood film was originally written sometime in the early 2000s. 
    / Kaz Rahman
  • Director Profile
    Three
    The Documentarist from Łódź II The second part in a two-part study of the documentary career of director Kryzstof Kieslowski.
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • Plus
    Three
    The Making of Memento Book Review: Making of Memento
    / Gautam Valluri
  • Capsule Reviews
    Three
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Theatrical Releases
    / Gautam Valluri and Anuj Malhotra
Essay

Working Class Cinema of the Western World

An incomplete overview of the evolution of the ‘working class’ cinema across the western world and what it means in a changing, globalized world where outsourcing is fast becoming the norm.


/ Gautam Valluri
Working Class Cinema of the Western World
  • Interview
    Two
    The Role of the Cinematographer, Part I: Lighting Govind Nihalani gives us an insight into the three different kinds of images in cinema and on the ‘visual personality’ of a film. This part of the comprehensive talk deals with ‘Lighting’ for cinema and why he doesn’t prefer half-lit faces.
    / Govind Nihalani and Celluloid Chapter
  • Interview
    Two
    The Role of the Cinematographer, Part 2: Composition The second part of the lengthy talk on cinematography, where Nihalani explains ‘composition’ in cinema and uses his own film Rukmavati ki Haveli as an illustration of the idea.
    / Govind Nihalani and Celluloid Chapter
  • Essay
    Two
    Death of the Auteur: The Vanishing Tradition of European Arthouse Cinema in Summer Hours and The Father of My Children What happened to the great cinema of Bergman and Antonioni? Where has it disappeared? 
    / Ankan Kazi
  • Director Profile
    Two
    The Documentarist from Łódź, Part I The first part in a two-part study of the documentary career of director Kryzstof Kieslowski
    / Anuj Malhotra
  • +Plus
    Two
    Our Films, Their Films Book Review: Our Films, Their Films
    / Gautam Valluri
  • +Plus
    Two
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Latest releases, festival titles
    / Gautam Valluri, Anuj Malhotra and Ankan Kazi
Director Profile

The Grudging Moralist

A discussion on the films of Jules Dassin, through the films he is most known for- his heist films. As such, he is not interested in what led to an affair, or what happened after it, but in how it was conducted. ‘To show’ is Dassin’s policy as a cinema director.


/ Anuj Malhotra
The Grudging Moralist
  • Interview
    One
    The Steadiest Shoulder in Filmmaking: An Interview with Matthias Grunsky The cinematographer of some unforgettable films talks about photographic media, his films and the future of Mumblecore cinema.
    / Gautam Valluri
  • Review
    One
    An 'Islamic' reading of Kiarostami's Close-up An in-depth look at the Persian influences in Kiarostami’s work and how the lack of their understanding resulted in the misreading of the film by western critics.
    / Kaz Rahman
  • Essay
    One
    The State of New Bengali Cinema Goutam Ghose’s Moner Manush  which won the Golden Peacock at the 41st International Film Festival of India is one among a select collection of impressive new Bengali films
    / Ankan Kazi
  • +Plus
    One
    Seriously Endearing Since 2010 Book Review: Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
    / Svetlana Naudiyal
  • Capsule Reviews
    One
    Capsule Reviews Capsule Reviews: Theatrical Releases
    / Gautam Valluri and Anuj Malhotra