Almodovarian world...

The man from La Mancha

Volver,set in Pedro Almodovar’s hometown, La Mancha, is a movie where the living and the dead co-exist without problems

PRAGYA TIWARI

(Original : http://pragyatiwari.com/2009/09/28/volver-the-great-almodovar-comeback/)

Volver, Pedro Almodovar's latest venture opens to action which shifts between his hometown of La Mancha and a working class neighbourhood in Madrid but in sooth the film is situated in the sort of Almodovarian world his followers have grown to love over the last two decades - where every room and street corner is saturated with bright color and there is a dash of red in every mis-en-scene alongwith vivid and discordant feelings of violence, pain and love.

With Volver, he abandons the dark terrain of his male-centric films like Live Flesh, Matador and Bad Education to revisit the woman-centered territory of his films like Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown and All About My Mother.
His women are hearty, self-possesing and compassionate despite the monstrous abuses that plague their lives. They live in a world nearly free from prejudice, luminous and optimistic. He loves his women characters and watches over them like a guardian angel (sometimes literally with top shots), generously handing the film over to his actresses who shoulder its weight almost entirely and easily on their gorgeous shoulders. The film may be reminiscence of the early American Feminist ideas of sisterhood but Almodovar's greatest source of inspiration is clearly his own childhood memories of being brought up by women in a patriarchal and gender-divided world of fascist Spain.

With the years the enfant terrible's films have become more self assured and simpler with lesser intricate parallel plots or flashbacks and more structural niceties. Also missing is the wild overt sexuality of previous films like Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down; but the essential quirkiness that accentuates his work is intact in this film as ever.

The film deals with death in the most natural way treating it as just another human state and liberating it from the clutches of heightened tragedy. The directors violent rebellion against the church is less pronounced but puts in an appearance nonetheless as he indulges the idea of resurrection of body. One of the central characters long thought dead reappears and expresses her desire to color and style her hair before she can elucidate the more mstical reasons for her return.
The plot is full of twists and turns, secrets and mysteries- embroiling cancer, incest, ghosts, murder and the ills of tv. It is often improbable but that is of little concern given that it is merely a tool for the director to get to the heart of his matter- the soul and spirit of women. And in laying bare their soul, he lays bare the soul of Spain through History. In a blink-andmiss shot there are turbines that dot the skyline. Clearly, much has changed in La Mancha from the times of Quixote's windmills, but the essence of the small town- its superstitions and madness are preserved as if from the times of Cervantes.

Volver means coming back and true to its name the film marks the coming back of this unsurpassable Spanish master to his home town, his comedic roots, to Carmen Maura who he casts for the first time after a fallout 16 yrs ago but most importantly to the world of women he has created with his previous films- a world where they survive boisterously balancing reality and romance-The only of its kind where it is always great to be a woman.

ISF, 2006

The India Social Forum (ISF) 2006 was held at New Delhi from 9th to 13th November. The forum saw a confluence of activists supporting various causes, along with performers from different regions showcasing their art.

The theme for the ISF – “Building Another World: Visions for the Future” – is one that focuses on stimulating dialogue, optimism and hope, by creating a space that will enable a greater mobilisation of resources for an alternative future.

There were activists from ALL kindsa backgrounds out there. From the NBA to feminist organisations to tribal issues… alternative sexualites….u name it…and they were there!

I had loadsa fun at the event… was busy roaming, sloganeering, giving sound bytes, observing, getting clicked, collecting freebies, celeb-spotting, shopping, watching movies….. PHEW!!!!!!!

There were seminars and workshops being held simultaneously across the venue, along with folk performances and street plays. Across the three main days of the Forum, I attended seminars/workshops on issues ranging from “Children’s Sectoral progress with respect to the UN’s Millennium Development Goal”, “Child Marriage and its impact on children”, “Displacement and Children”, “AIDS- Anti Retro Viral for HIV+ve”, “Faces and Vision of Children”, “Environment, Development Displacement”, “Women as Decision-Makers” and “Threats to Higher Education”.

In case u did sense it, these are the causes that I support… namely, Children’s rights, women’s rights and HIV awareness.

It was a common sight for artists (from the traditional Indian ones to African... et al!) to break into jigs at any spot!!!!!!! though, there were also many small stages put up at various corners.....where ALL through the day there were street plays, rendition of folk songs and other such rusticity was on display!

urs truly also sat thru a 70 min play in Gujarati in a musical (kathaageet) format.. outlining 600 yrs of the history of Ahmedabad.

Amongst the docu.s that i saw were....

"Kitte mil ve mahi" - a window onto Dalit aspirations to carve out their own cultural and religious space, filmed in Punjab.

"Bullshit"- on Vandana Shiva... India activist and physicist, campaigns against globalisation, bio-piracy and patenting.

"Delhi - Mumbai - Delhi" - an intimate look into the lives of dance-bar girls, shot against the backdrop of Maharashtra govt.s controversial move to ban them from dancing.

"Seven islands and a Metro" - a tale of my city structured around imaginary debates between Ismat Chughtai and Sadat Hasan Mano, the two legendary writers who lived in this metropolis, etc.!!!

as for the numeorus celebs present out there... i spotted Sunderlal Bahuguna (v. cute!!!), Medha Patkar and many others........whom i have seen and read about.

To conclude, I’d like to say that it was a great learning experience. With stalwarts from various fields all around us, it was an exposure worth it!

9/11 to US...

What happened on Sept 11, 1906
— AVIJIT GHOSH
On September 12, 1906, Johannesburg’s Rand Daily Mail reported an event that had taken place in the city’s old Empire Theatre the previous day. The report said: “The united protest of the British Indian community against the Draft Asiatic Ordinance constituted one of the most remarkable gatherings Johannesburg has seen. The size of meeting, the enthusiasm of the audience — practically the entire Indian population ceased work for the day — and the depth of feeling displayed, formed a striking testimony to the indignation which the proposed legislation aroused.”
The newspaper was reporting the birth of one of the greatest ideas of modern times: non-violent resistance as a form of public protest. Its architect was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
In an old photograph published in Eric Itzkin’s book, Gandhi’s Johannesburg, Empire Theatre comes across as a stolid, rectangular building resembling a government office. But exactly a hundred years ago, the atmosphere inside was anything but officious. Around 3,000 Indians working in different parts of Transvaal province had gathered there. “The old Empire Theatre was packed from floor to ceiling. I could read in every face the expectation of something strange to be done or happen,” writes Gandhi in the book, Satyagraha in South Africa.
Many of these Indians, both Hindus and Muslims, had arrived as indentured labourers in South Africa. They were Gujaratis, Tamils and Telugus. Over the years, many had become successful businessmen and traders. Yet the proposed ordinance required every Asian to register their fingerprints and carry registration certificates . Or else, they could be deported. This, as Gandhi wrote, virtually equated them with criminals. A shocked Gandhi immediately met some influential members of the Indian community. This set the stage for the 9/11 meeting which was presided by Abdul Ghani, chairman, Transvaal British Indian Association.
The most important of the several resolutions passed at the meeting said: “Indians solemnly determined not to submit to the Ordinance in the event of its becoming law and to suffer all the penalties attaching to such non-submission.” Gandhi outlined the course of action and its consequences: “We might have to endure every hardship that we can imagine, and wisdom lies in pledging ourselves on the understanding that we shall have to suffer all that and worse. If someone asks me when and how the struggle may end, I may say that if the entire community manfully stands the test, the end will be near. If many of us fall back under storm and stress, the struggle will be prolonged. But I can boldly declare, and with certainty, that so long as there is even a handful of men true to their pledge, there can only be one end to the struggle, and that is victory.”
Historian Robert A Huttenback in Gandhi in South Africa writes, “With a roar of enthusiasm, the Transvaal Indians rose to take the pledge and a new political technique was born.”
Strangely, Empire Theatre was destroyed in a fire the next day. Writes Gandhi: “Friends brought me the news... and congratulated the community upon this good omen, which signified to them that the Ordinance would meet the same fate as the theatre.”
It did. But only after a long struggle where satyagraha was put to stern test.

What Code...eh?!

Hey…. I am posting in my blog after what seems like centuries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leaving the faff aside I’ll just get on with the works!!!!!!!!!

I saw ‘The DaVinci Code’ on 27th May, 2006. Not TOO late considering the movie was released in India the previous day!!

Well, I don’t have much to say about the movie. Nice flick. I am leaving the flogging to the critics… that’s what they’ve done ALL over the world…. From Cannes to Canary!!
People….. TAKE A BREAK!!!!!!

Juz relax n have a dekko. The movie is an unpretentious piece of fiction trying hard to be a racy thriller. But….. simply put…..it’s cool. Don’t bother about who’s saying WHAT!

You don’t need to have read the book to watch the film. I didn’t!! and I will not. Yeah… u MIGHT have many points contention if you have been the reader as well as the viewer of this thingy… but that’s okay. It juz shows that ur brains r in place n well oiled!!

Though, it’d help if u have some idea about the history of Christianity. No…. not for establishing whether Christ fathered someone or not. But just to be at ease when the Pagans and their likes come into the scene (not literally).

My fav. scene... when Sophie drives her cute car backwards at a somewhat neck-breaking speed.

My fav. dialogue… “The French cannot be trusted.”
Touche.