The Cinema Travelers (2016) is a multi-award winning Indian film co-directed by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya. Structurally, this devastatingly beautiful documentary has direct cinema qualities. The camera crew unobtrusively follows the ins and outs of three cinephiles as they come to terms with the fact their profession and livelihood are at stake. The Cinema Travelers captures their realization that movies shot on photo-chemical film is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Mohammed, a travelling showmen and family man, recognizes that he is part in a dying industry and promptly seeks out alternative technologies to keep his business afloat. Bapu, a grouchy film exhibitor struggles to maintain his film screening business as he tries to restore his rusted up cinema lorry. The most touching story is of Prakash, a kind man who has dedicated 45 years of his life to becoming a world class mechanic who specializes in fixing film projectors. His story stood out to me, mainly because of his positive approach to life. He is an inventor, a real ideas-man; he has developed a prototype for a ‘perfect’ projector but is too late to capitalize on his concept as the digital era is already upon us.
The film highlights the fact that there has been another major shift forward in the film industries and film technologies have progressed. The stories explored in The Cinema Travelers also bring to light the fact that there is such a massive distinction between the Western World and Third World nations. The film has a poetic undertone and tells a unique version of the typical contemporary culture clash.
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The Piano has just made itself in to my personal top fifty great films list. Although there has been a lot of shuffling around since I started film studies. I used to have lists of films that I enjoyed watching and now the list consists of films that I respect and that are well made. Lately I have definitely experienced a sense of fear, that there isn't enough time left in ones life to watch all of the films available and watch the latest releases. Jane Campion wrote and directed The Piano in 1993. One of the main themes that I noticed was her use of binary opposites. Mainly cultural, class and gender. For example, from the very beginning of the film, the main character Ada informs the viewer that she no longer speaks and is mute - able-bodied versus disabled - this is the primary set of opposites. We are then introduced to the second set of contrasting opposites as she introduces her daughter Flora (mother versus daughter), and then another when she announces her arranged marriage (man versus woman) . When they arrive in New Zealand there is the contrast of land versus water, and also the Indigenous peoples versus the foreigners. As the film progresses many more opposing themes are made evident. In human culture we typically can only be understood by one another in relation. The use of binary opposites in The Piano, highlights the fact that the place and setting for the film is filled with contrasting situations and this tension builds and builds to the moment Ada is attacked with an axe by her husband. Campion is able to distinguish many of the class differences through use of costume, whereas the cultural differences where identifiable through the use of symbols - the Maori's had tattoos where as in many scenes the British would tend to have crucifix (Christianity) in the background. What I found most fascinating was the way in which she uses the Piano. As far as the plot goes the piano is an instrument in which the protagonist is affiliated; when she plays it is one of the only ways she can communicate and express feeling. However, if I were to analysis the story in regards to all of the above mentioned binary opposites, the piano is symbolic to to how you can take two opposites (literal black and white keys/ Sharps and Flats) then together they can create something harmonious (music). So by the end of the film you have a man (George) and a woman (Ada) from different walks of life and social standing (Upper class and lower class), and even though they are different in many ways, the are able to connect with one another and the piano is the object that unites them. |
AuthorNicoleRoseAnna an Aquarian, middle child, grand-daughter, sister, aunty, cousin and niece. On the road to becoming a Sociologist specialising in Film & Television. Archives
November 2016
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