Modern Art Form and the Tribal World - Films, Photos, Poems and Discussion

[Praveer Peter JHARKHAND India]

Dear film and art lovers,

Johar
We are inviting you for a workshop - Modern art form and Tribal world
on 3rd May at 2.30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
by Mahadev Toppo

Venue-International Library and Cultural Center,
near Sujata Cinema, Club Road, Ranchi

The main theme of workshop is, how tribal world has been portrayed in
various art forms, and how the meaning would be changed when the
subject itself becomes the author of the art and the art form, as for
instance the great documentary master piece ‘Nanook of the North’-
what if Nanook would have done this film by himself…. ?

Now Dalit and tribal literature are emerging very forcefully
challenging the casteist and racist paradigm. Thanks to contradiction
in capitalism in the age of globalization at least--- digital
technology is some how available to common people. In this scenario,
is there any possibility of emergence of a new language of cinema?

Better cinema – Better world - Mahadev Toppo,

Sri Toppo is a well known tribal thinker, poet and actor from
Jharkhand. In this work shop he is going to read two feature film –
( Mrigaya- 1976 Director: Mrinal Sen and Aakrosh -1980 Director -
Govind Nihalani) besides a documentary film- 'In the Forest hangs a
Bridge' 1999, Directed by Sanjay kak . He is also going to talk on the
photographs of Bishu Nandi and poetry of Niramla Putul (Santhali
poetess)

You all are invited to this workshop, where we have tried to come up
with some novel initiatives. Please spread this message to the
interested people/ groups

Shriprakash

Ranchi Film Club
Film Appreciation wing of
International library and cultural center, Ranchi
tel 0651 2331524

Schedule
2.30 p.m. To 9 p.m
Exhibition of photograph taken by renowned photographer Sri Bishu
Nandi
On theme - Still Camera and Tribal Life

Discussion

Mrigaya 1976
Director: Mrinal Sen
Music -Salil Chowdhury
Story- Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi
Screenplay- Mohit Chatterjee, Mrinal Sen
Cinematography- KK Mahajan
Cast: Mithun Chakraborty and Mamta Shanker, Sadhu Meher, ,
Language: Hindi
Duration: 1hours 45 min
Awards: National awards plus a lot of international awards

To both Ghinua and the commissioner, a big ‘Shikar’ is a game; this is
probably why Ghinua reacts like a terrible ‘hunter’ when the Mahajan
tries to steal his wife. He slays him; an avenged man, he brings his
‘trophy’, to the only man who will understand him, the English ‘Bare
Raja Babu’. But Ghinua’s trust is betrayed and he is handed over to
the court by the Commissioner. Ghinua asks the Commissioner why Dora
gets five hundred rupees as a ‘prize’ for killing Shalpu, a person
liked by all the villagers and he gets death sentence for killing the
Mahajan, who is ‘sabse khatarnak, khun-khar janwar’. Even the
villagers fail to understand why Imperial Justice sentences Ghinua to
be hanged to death.

Discussion

'In the Forest hangs a Bridge'
Dir Sanjay kak
India, 1999, 16 mm, 39 min
'In the Forest hangs a Bridge' is a film about the building of a
thousand foot suspension bridge by the people of an Adi village, an
evocation of the tribal community that makes it possible, and a
reflection on the strength and fragility of the idea of community.
Located deep in the forest hills of the Siang valley of Arunachal
Pradesh, at the north-eastern extremity of India, these elegant
structures of cane and bamboo are the distinctive mark of the Adi
tribe. Nearly six months of incessant rain in the Siang valley means
that the cane and bamboo will eventually rot and fall away, and the
bridge needs to be rebuilt every year. In less than three days, a
bridge more than a thousand feet long is finished. A day later, we see
several hundred men from the village cross to the other side for the
annual ritual, as they have for several hundred years.

Discussion on film
Tea break

Mahua Maji will read poetry of Nirmla Putul (Santhali poetess ) from
the book -Nagade ki Tarah Bajte Shabd,. She happens to be the emerging
writer defining the tribal aesthetics in literature.

Discussion on the poetry

Aakrosh 1980 Hindi
Director - Govind Nihalani,
Written - Vijay Tendulkar(Screenplay) Satyadev Dubey(Dialogue)
Starring - Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil Om Puri and Amrish Puri
Award - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi 1980 &
several Filmfare Awards', Golden Peacock' for the Best Film at the
International Film Festival of India
Durattion - 144 min

Lahanya Bhiku (Om Puri) a tribal is arrested for killing his wife Nagi
(smita patil)and he is tried in the court for it.Bhaskar Kulkarni
(Naseeruddin Shah) takes this first case as the govt appointed
lawyer.bhaskar kulkarni with all dreams and aspirations to take his
first case finds to his frustration that Lahanya does not want to co
operate with him. Slowly bhaskar investigates the case which leads to
stark ling revelations and the movies comes to a shattering climax.

[Vasavi Kiro]

ok