JOIN USFour Kannada films for New York Indian Film Festival
Four Kannada films (three features and one short) will be screened at the New York Indian Film Festival this year. ‘Pinki Elli’, ‘Neeli Hakki’, ‘Koli Taal’ and ‘Pinni’ are among movies chosen for the festival, which will be held online from June 4 to June 13.
‘Pinki Elli’, directed by Prithvi Konanur, had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival last October. The film is based on an incident in Bengaluru when a mother returned home and found to her shock that her baby was missing.
Ganesh Hegde’s ‘Neeli Hakki’, with child actor Aman S Karkera in the lead, explores the journey of a 10-year-old who chooses his roots over the greed of his parents. “My film banks on simple storytelling,” Ganesh tells Showtime. Shot near Sirsi, the film is Ganesh's debut as a director; he had earlier worked as a writer and assistant director at Rakshit Shetty’s Paramvah Studios.
“My film showcases the everyday life, relationships, and the cultural beauty of Karnataka. These were common features in Kasaravalli (Girish) sir’s films as well. Also, we touch some important themes through a child's perspectives,” he says. Impressed by the film, Tamil superstar Vijay Sethupathi came on board to present ‘Neeli Hakki’.
‘Koli Taal’, by debutant Abhilash Shetty, is about the amusing incidents that unfold after a rooster goes missing in a Western Ghats village, situated between Malenadu and Karavalli. The satirical film attempts to focus on themes like greed, honours and trust.
“The French New Wave and Iranian films shaped my filmmaking skills. ‘Koli Taal’ does not have melodrama, songs, and background music,” says Abhilash, who quit an engineering job to pursue his passion.
Bhuvan Satya’s ‘Pinni’ seeks to show the nativity of Mysuru. “Our films today don’t show Old Mysuru. There are many Indo-Saracenic buildings that are integral to the city’s rich culture. We took one year to find 80-year-old buildings,” says Bhuvan, who also ditched engineering for films.
The 20-minute short is presented by Rishab Shetty. The film has also opened doors for Bhuvan to assist acclaimed filmmaker Hemanth M Rao in ‘Saptha Sagaradaache Ello’, starring Rakshit Shetty and Rukimini Vasanth.
The filmmakers are hopeful of independent cinema getting its due in the industry. "With smart planning, independent films can turn out to be extremely beneficial," says Ganesh. "In the OTT era, experimental cinema can carve its own place. People are open to such content," says Abhilash. Bhuvan, now scripting his maiden feature film, hopes to find a producer following Pinni's recognition.
A total of 58 films can be watched at nyiff.us and nyiff.moviessaints.com. While a feature costs Rs 150, the price for short films starts at Rs 50.