Call For Entries – NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab, 2013

There have been some changes in NFDC’s Screenwriters Lab this year. And also there’s a new partner – Toronto International Film Festival. Scroll down for further details.

WHAT : In keeping with the mandate of promoting the development of the Cinemas of India, the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) conducts the Film Bazaar Screenwriters’ Lab. The 2013 Lab will be in partnership with Toronto International Film Festival.

LAB : The Screenwriters’ Lab 2013 gives an opportunity to six independent screenwriters to develop their skill under the guidance of a variety of industry experts from across the globe. Through one-on-one sessions with their Mentors, the Screenwriter Fellows are advised on tools and techniques required to improve their scripts and methods to pitch the same in the international domain.

—> Selected screenwriters attend the first part at the Toronto International Film Festival and the second part at NFDC’s Film Bazaar, Goa.

The Screenwriters’ Lab is specially re-designed to prepare screenwriters with original Indian stories for working with the international filmmaking market.  The Screenwriters’ Lab also creates a unique opportunity for these scripts to gain a direct entry to the Film Bazaar Co-Production Market.

(Revised) Application Process :

- Apply before March 1, 2013 with your synopsis.

- Short listed participants will then be asked to submit their scripts by June 2013.

- Six participants will be declared in the month of August 2013.

General Rules

- This Lab is open only to Indian passport holders

- The selection process is in two parts. This is the first part of the selection procedure where participants will be shortlisted based on the submitted synopsis.

- Participants shortlisted for the second stage will be given a scheduled duration to submit completed scripts.

- Submission via email only as a single pdf/doc file. Do not send requisite material as separate attachments. No hard copy submissions are to be sent.

- Applications are to be sent to screenwriters-lab@fimbazaarindia.com

- Application Fee for the lab is INR 1000/- only. It is payable by Demand Draft made in favour of National Film Development Corporation Ltd payable at Mumbai or by Wire Transfer.

—> To know more about the rules, regulations, application form and the rest, click here.

First Look : Hansal Mehta’s Shahid (Trailer)

After its world premiere at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival, the first trailer of Hansal Mehta’s new film Shahid is out.  Have a look.

Aha, welcome back, Mister Mehta. Seems like the film has got the right mood and tone for the subject. And if you missed the earlier post, here’s the official synopsis of the film..

Shahid is the remarkable true story of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was killed in 2010 by unidentified assailants in his office. From attempting to become a terrorist, to being wrongly imprisoned under a draconian anti-terrorism law, to becoming a champion of human rights (particularly of the Muslim minorities in India), Shahid traces the inspiring personal journey of a boy who became an unlikely messiah for human rights, while following the rise of communal violence in India. This story of an impoverished Muslim struggling to come to terms with injustice and inequality, whilerising above his circumstances is an inspiring testament to the human spirit. 

Cast and credit list :

Director: Hansal Mehta

Language: Hindi

Runtime: 123 minutes

Exec. Producer: Jai Mehta, Kunal Rohra

Producer: Sunil Bohra, Shailesh Singh, Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap

Production Co: Bohra Bros Pvt. Ltd. and Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt. Ltd.

Principal Cast: Raj Kumar, Prabhleen Sandhu, Baljinder Kaur, Tigmanshu Dhulia, K K Menon, Yusuf Husain, Prabal Panjabi, Vinod Rawat, Vipin Sharma, Shalini Vatsa, Paritosh Sand, Pavan Kumar, Vivek Ghamande, Akash Sinha, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Mukesh Chhabra

Screenplay: Sameer Gautam Singh, Apurva Asrani, Hansal Mehta

Cinematographer: Anuj Dhawan

Editor: Apurva Asrani

Sound: Mandar Kulkarni

Prod. Designer: Rabiul Sarkar

- To know more updates about the film, you can follow its FB page here.

 

VOTD : Desi directors at TIFF’s ‘City To City’ presser

Toronto International Film Festival’s focus in this year’s ‘City To City’ program is Mumbai and its showing Manjeet Singh’s Mumbai Cha Raja (The King of Mumbai), Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus, Mohit Takalkar’s The Bright Day, Hansal Mehta’s Shahid along with Anurag Kashyap’s two-parter Gangs of Wasseypur, Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely, Habib Faisal’s Ishaqzaade, Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai and Vasan Bala’s Peddlers.

TIFF has made the presser video online where are all the directors were present and they talk about various subjects – festival, female directors, reviews, bollywood vs indies, changing film making scenario,

16:50 onward – On reviews. Waah, Vasan!

19:80 onward – Ha! Good try, Mr Habib Faisal to defend the regressive Ishaqzaade.

39:15 – Balaji took bits and pieces from Miss Lovely and made The Dirty Picture – Ashim Ahluwalia.

40:15 – If you send a script like this, i will file a criminal complaint with the police.

First Look : Anand Gandhi’s Ship Of Theseus (Three trailers)

Just before its international premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, the makers of Ship Of Theseus have released three new trailers of the film. Looks damn interesting with some powerful visuals.

If it all seems too confusing to you, click here for its official synopsis and all the other details.

And if you missed its unique posters, we are putting it all here. Click to enlarge.

Manjeet Singh turns to crowd funding for completion of “Mumbai Cha Raja”

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Manjeet Singh’s debut feature Maumbai Cha Raja has been selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in its “City To City”program where “Mumbai” is the focus this year. But the film is yet to be completed. And Manjeet is looking for funds to complete the film.

- TIFF website describes the film as “A young boy comes of age in a Mumbai slum while dealing with his long-suffering mother and violent father, in this gently observational portrait crafted in the tradition of the great neorealist classics.”

- And here’s the detailed official synopsis of the film…

Rahul is a misunderstood and troubled adolescent who lives in the slums bordering the nouveau riche areas of Northern Mumbai with his alcoholic father, ahrd working mother and a kid brother. He hangs out with his balloon seller streetwise younger friend, Arbaaz.

Set during the grand festival devoted to Lord Ganesha over the last two days when huge idols of the elephant headed God are taken in procession to the beach for immersion. Rahul has to handle the chaos in his life amidst the chaos of the colorful and vibrant festival.

It’s a peep into the lives of kids living in the slums of Mumbai. A tribute to their spirit of finding joy in trivial things and living life to the fullest.

- Click on the play button to watch the trailer

- The film also bagged the Prasad Award in Work in Progress Lab at Film Bazaar 2011. And was also selected for Producer’s Lab in Cinemart at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2012.

- You can contribute between Rs 2000 to Rs 300,000 for its completion. To know more about the film and to make contribution, click here.

TIFF announces 10 Indian films in its “City to City” segment

Toronto International Film festival (TIFF) has announced 10 Indian films in its “City to City” segment where the focus this year is Mumbai.

Out of the selected ten films, four film will have its world premiere at TIFF. These four are Manjeet Singh’s Mumbai Cha Raja (The King of Mumbai), Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus, Mohit Takalkar’s The Bright Day and Hansal Mehta’s Shahid. The other six includes Anurag Kashyap’s two-parter Gangs of Wasseypur, Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely, Habib Faisal’s Ishaqzaade, Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai and Vasan Bala’s Peddlers.

Since we have been covering Gangs Of Wasseypur, Miss Lovely, Peddlers, Ishaqzaade and Sanghai extensively, we are going to put out the info about the rest of the films now.

—> Shahid. Director : Hansal Mehta

Shahid is the remarkable true story of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was killed in 2010 by unidentified assailants in his office. From attempting to become a terrorist, to being wrongly imprisoned under a draconian anti-terrorism law, to becoming a champion of human rights (particularly of the Muslim minorities in India), Shahid traces the inspiring personal journey of a boy who became an unlikely messiah for human rights, while following the rise of communal violence in India. This story of an impoverished Muslim struggling to come to terms with injustice and inequality, whilerising above his circumstances is an inspiring testament to the human spirit. Starring Raj Kumar, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur.

—> Mumbai’s King (Mumbai Cha Raja). Director : Manjeet Singh

Rahul roams the streets with his balloon-seller friend Arbaaz. These two kids escape the grim realities of their lives by gambling, roasting stolen potatoes, stealing an auto rickshaw for a joyride, and chasing girls. But soon Rahul has to “take care” of his violent father, who has forced him to live on streets. Starring Rahul Bairagi, Arbaaz Khan and Tejas Parvatkar.

—> Ship of Theseus. Director : Anand Gandhi

For Poster, Stills and Official synopsis of the film, click here.

—> The Bright Day. Director : Mohit Takalkar

Yearning for meaning in his life, a coddled young man abandons his girlfriend and family to set out on a spiritual quest across India. Shot with sophisticated DSLR cameras and reflecting a new passion for personal filmmaking, The Bright Day finds images to chart a soul’s progress.

First Look : Michael Winterbottom’s Trishna (Trailer) and Ribhu Dasgupta’s Michael (Stills)

Trishna and Michael, both the films will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Michael Winterbottom’s latest film Trishna is not only set in India but it was more than one desi connect. The film’s trailer is out and according to official release,  it’s an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles set against a contemporary Indian backdrop. Freida Pinto stars as the titular Trishna, a young woman who is seduced by the wealthy son(Riz Ahmed) of a property developer. As the romance develops, their relationship also becomes increasingly sordid and volatile.

Click on the play button to check out the trailer. what a smooth and soothing track! Wow, Amit Trivedi, scores again? Seems so, at least from the trailer.

Michael is the latest production of Anurag Kashyap films. Directed by debutant Ribhu Dasgupta, the film’s trailer or poster is not out yet. But you can check out some of the stills. It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Mahie Gill, Purav Bhandare, Sabyasachi Chakraborty and Irawati Harshe.

According to official release, it’s a character-driven psychological drama. Using intricate camerawork and intimate point of view shooting, Dasgupta tracks one man’s physical and psychological deterioration in the rainy, traffic-filled streets of Kolkata. Check out the stills.

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Indian films at Toronto International Film Festival 2011

Toronto International Film Festival has announced its international line-up for this year’s fest. So far four Indian films are in the list.

1. Mausam (Seasons of Love), Pankaj Kapur, India World Premiere

Mausam is a story of timeless love in the face of political hostilities and religious conflict, between a proud Punjabi Air Force Officer and an innocent Kashmiri refugee. Set against a landscape that transcends decades and spans continents, Mausam is a classic journey that transports one into a world of indestructible bonds of love enveloped by the roulette of destiny. Starring Shahid Kapur, Sonam A Kapoor and Anupam Kher.

 

2. Michael, Ribhu Dasgupta, India World Premiere

Michael, an ex-cop, lives with his 11-year-old son and works in a theatre as a projectionist pirating DVDs for a living. When he starts receiving death threats for his son from someone in his past, he gets caught up in a complex web of his own impending blindness comprised of his insecurities. First-time director Ribhu Dasgupta teams up with India’s guru of independent cinema, producer Anurag Kashyap, and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah for this character-driven, psychological drama.

3. Azhagarsamy’s Horse, Suseendran, India International Premiere

In a small Tamil village, a ceremonial wooden-horse statue goes missing. With a crucial holy symbol suddenly gone, the village falls into recriminations and comic chaos. At the same time, Azhagarsami, a young man who earns his livelihood by ferrying loads on his horse, puts his marriage on hold when his horse also disappears.

4. Chatrak (Mushrooms), Vimukthi Jayasundara, India/France North American Premiere

Rahul, a Bengali architect who had gone off to build a career in Dubai, returns to Kolkata to launch a huge construction site. He is reunited with his girlfriend, Paoli, who had long awaited his homecoming. Together, they try to find Rahuls brother, who is said to have gone mad, living in the forest and sleeping in the trees. Despite appearances, the two brothers might have a lot in common.

An Indo-France co-production, Chhatrak (Mushrooms) directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara was also part of the official lineup of Cannes Directors Fortnight. His debut film The Forsaken Land had won the Camera d’Or for best debut feature at Cannes in 2005.

Another film with an Indian connect at TIFF is Michael Winterbottom’s Trishna. Starring Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed, and based on Thomas Hardy‟s novel Tess of the d‟Urbervilles, the film is set in contemporary India and tells the tragic love story between the son of a wealthy property developer and the daughter of a rickshaw driver.

First Look : West Is West (Trailer, Synopsis and Early Reviews)

The sequel to East Is East is here. The film is being screened at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival. Starring Om Puri, Aqib Khan, Linda Bassett, Ila Arun and Jimi Mistry, its directed by debutant Andy De Emmony. Click on the play button to check out the trailer.

And here is the official synopsis…

Manchester, Northern England, 1976. The now much-diminished, but still claustrophobic and dysfunctional, Khan family continues to struggle for survival. Sajid, the youngest Khan, is under heavy assault both from his father’s tyrannical insistence on Pakistani tradition, and from the fierce bullies in the schoolyard. His father decides to pack him off to Mrs. Khan No 1 and family in the Punjab, the wife and daughters he had abandoned 30 years earlier. The sequel to East is East, West is West is the coming of age story of both 15-year-old Sajid and of his father, 60-year-old George Khan.

And click here and here to read two early reviews, published in Screen Daily and The Hollywood Reporter.

First Look : Aamir Bashir’s Harud (Trailer)

The first trailer of Aamir Bashir’s directorial debut Harud is out. The film is going to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Its selected in the Discovery section.

The film has been shot by Shanker Raman and stars Reza Naji ( His breakthrough role was in Children of Heaven directed by the renowned filmmaker Majid Majidi. In 2008 he won the Silver Bear at the Berlin film festival for his performance in the film Song of Sparrows), Shahnawaz Bhat, Shamim Basharat, Mudassir Khan, Salma Ashai.

To know more about the film, click here to go to its official website. And to read its synopsis and more, click here.