The best part about film festivals is most filmmakers are approachable. They not only watch films with the audience but also make ample time to answer your queries and are open to criticism pointed out by the audience.
This year, it was filmmaker Bharath Bala, whose session kickstarted the seminars at Biffes. His topic was “Film making and India as a Land of Stories”.
“I plan to make 1,000 films in the next five years that portray India’s rich cultural heritage which needs to be recovered and preserved,” started the director of Hari Om and Vande Mataram.
Bharath screened a few films from his “Project Stories of India” – Talam (a movie on chuudan Vallam boat race), Pahani Sahib (a story narrating the love for classical music among the young girls of Punjab) and Muthuvan Kalyana (depicting the wedding traditions of the Adivasis of silent valley).
For Muthuvan Kalyana, Bharath revealed that he spent an entire day at the valley to get a perfect shot using a drone.
How many filmmakers will have the patience to do it? “I am sure every filmmaker follows their vision. Yet, I feel some do not get out of their comfort zones. You need to shake yourself and find that perfect emotion. Exploration is critical as is originality when it comes to telling stories.”
Bharath then adds that his aim of showcasing his films at festivals is to “get the regular viewer inspired to watch more independent films.”
1000 short films
Bharath says that he plans to make 1,000 short films in the next five years. But how does one find the stories? “You have to keep your eyes and ears open and one has to learn how to tell a story in the most interesting manner through film. Some of the short films can be made into full length features. The characters can be developed and so can the story.”
He goes on to explain how short films are the perfect medium to keep Indian stories alive.” One should not make a film as a documentary, art film or a commercial film. It should be approached with the same passion as a medium of telling stories, no matter what genre, only then will you give it your all.” He gives credit to our grandparents who “told us stories. When we listen to their words, we discover that our land is rich in culture, stories and heritage. Then you wonder if you can retain that aspect in films. That is what I want to do using my talent of making films. I can make feature films, but I am slogging it out to make short films because I want to celebrate humanity and keep that tradition of storytelling alive.”