Girish Kasaravalli is awarded Padma Shri

Girish Kasaravalli, the noted filmmaker is bestowed with Padma Shri award on 26^th January, 2011. FFSI and the Film Societies  offer heartiest congratulations to Mr. Girish, who is closely associated with the Film Society Movement.

Cine Society Patna conducts regular monthly screenings for their members.

Their programmes are well designed and made with special emphasis on various aspects.

Here is an example, of February 2011 programme, 

where in they have selected film classics of  World literature.

Films to be screened in the month of February 2011.

War and Peace, of  Leo Tolstoy, Historical Epic, Film by King Vidor (1956, English, 208 minutes) *Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, John Mills 

Two Women, of Alberto Moravia, on the trauma of an Italian mother and her young  daughter during the second world war; Film by Vittorio De Sica (1960, Italian-English, 99 minutes) *Sophia Loren, Raff Valone, Eleanora Brown, Jean-Paul Belmondo etc; Earned  Oscar award for Sophia Loren as Best 

To Sir, With Love, of E R Braithwaite, on teacher-student relationship; Film by James Clavel (1967, British, 105 minutes) *Sydney Poitier, Judy Geeson, Christian Roberts, Suzi Kendall, Faith Brook, Lulu etc. Perhaps the best film ever made on student-teacher relationships.

Cine Society Patna with Mr. R.N.Dash, (retired IAS officer and a very senior veteran of the Film Society movement) the president and his team are doing an excellent job in running their film society since many years.

S.Ramachandra is no more

S.Ramachandra, who was for many of us Ramu, a well known cameraman who was closely associated with New cinema movement in Karnataka passed away on Monday, January, 10, 2011. His is a loss that will be felt by many of us in the Film industry and in the film society circle. When he came out of Pune Film Institute successfully completing his course in cinematography he took active interest in the Film Society movement. We do remember he was instrumental in helping Suchitra Film society, in 1971, to establish contact with the then Film Institute Director, Jagat Murari in procuring a package of diploma  films made by the students of Pune Film Institute. When Jagat Murari visited Bangalore with the films, S.Ramachandra along with other ex-students UMN Sherrief, Shankarappa, Shanta Iyengar actively participated in the discussion on the films. This association continued and for the last forty years he not only held the fort as ready cameraman for new wave cinema, but also actively participated with us in various activities like film festivals, workshops, seminars and other related events.

While he actively associated with many of the stalwarts like G.V.Iyer, B.V.Karnath, Girish Karnad, Girish Kasaravalli and others he also felt quite at ease in guiding youngsters and debutants to make their own films.  He won large number of awards, of course for his work, but most importantly he also won the hearts of many film lovers and friends as a kind hearted person, it is really sad that we lost him. 

INDO CINE Appreciation Foundation

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

ICA Foundation, Chennai is one Film Society that offers its members a bonanza of films every month in fabulous number and in a variety that anybody would love to become a proud member of this Foundation. If one goes through the activity report of this society one wonders how on earth anybody can organize so many festivals and so many screenings in a year. 

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

                            During the last one year, the socity is able to organise more than 30 film festivals that includes a large number of countries from European, Asian, African and Latin American continents that includes staggering number of films of more than 150.  It is a classic example of how a film society can utilise the Digital technology and build a film culture that covers a wide spectrum of film lovers ranging from students to veteran film buffs from all walks of life. In  addition to  regular monthly screenings, ICAF has successfully completed 8^th edition(2010) of  Chennai  International Film Festivals. This festival has now become an important landmark in the calendar of film events in India.

Inauguration of various film festivals of ICAF

We wish ICAF will now expnd its activity to take cinema to colleges and other parts of Tamilnadu to spread a healthy film culture. Academics of cinema, like conducting workshops and seminars  is another area that ICAF can devote some attention.

SMARIKA - Sachin Dev Burman (1906 – 1975)

SMARIKA

Remembering the immortal musician who Created immortal songs.

Sachin Dev Burman (1906 – 1975)

Film Society of Jodhpur, a pioneer Film Society, now in its 42nd year published Smarika a book that profiles the career of one of the legendary figures in our film music, S.D.Burman who held the connoisseurs of music spellbound during the golden age of Hindi films from 1940 to 1970. Even today after several decades when we listen to those pieces, Mera sundar sapna by Gita Dutt, in Do Bhai, Upar gagan vishal by Manna Dey in Mashal, ye duniya agar milbi jayeto kya hai by Rafi in Pyaasa, Nain diawane by Suraiya in Afsar, Rote rote guzar gayi, by Lata in Buzdil, Jeevanke safar mein by Kishore in Munimji, Jayen to jayen kaha by Talat in Taxi Driver, Teri Duniya mein by Hemant in House No.44, Saiyan dil me Aana re by Shamshad in Bahar, and many other songs sung by a galaxy of singers, we get up from our slumber and listen to it with all the attention that we can mobilize. This is the magnetic effect of the melody that was created by Burmanda who ruled the film-music kingdom of India for over three decades in his hey days.

The variety of songs he created with his magic tunes in classical, in folk, tribal music, western, cabaret, devotional and many other styles are creations which remain immortal in our music heritage. The book which is edited by one of our most respected film society activist and veteran, Prof Mohan Swaroop Maheshwari, contains articles written by eminent persons, that cover the life and achievements of this great musician. The book is definitely a collector’s item, particularly for those who love nostalgic memories of that period of music melody created by a galaxy of Music directors like Burman, Naushad, C.Ramchandra, Anil Biswas, Shankar Jaikishan and many others who figure in that illustrious list.

(For copies of the book pl.contact: Film Society of Jodhpur, 762,5th Road, Sardarpura, and Jodhpur-342003.

Review by HNNarahari Rao)