Panaji: Raam Reddy, the maker of Kannada film 'Thithi' which has won several international awards since its release this year, said that it makes him unhappy how Indian language films, other than Hindi, are termed regional cinema, despite being Indian language films.
"Why are films in other languages called regional films, when these languages are also Indian. When someone says to me 'oh you are a regional filmmaker', I feel I am second class," he said, speaking at a session at the 47th International Film Festival of India (Iffi).
The session was being moderated by another alternative filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, who said that it is a kind of caste system in the film industry where Hindi films seem to top the Brahmanical order.
'Thithi' premiered at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival in 2015, where it won the Golden Leopard in the 'Filmmakers of the Present' category as well as the Best First Feature award. Subsequently, it was screened at various film festivals and has won numerous awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada.
The film was released in India this year with much success.
"I was upset because I was not being given screens in multiplexes despite our film doing so well. I am happy that my film has managed to toss the beliefs of the entire Kannada film industry and has confused everyone. And I like it. Films like the Marathi movie 'Court' paved the path for a 'Thithi'. The audience is now ready for content-based films. We have to set the Indian audience up for slow, reflective films," said Reddy.
'Thithi' is shot in a remote village in Karnataka in natural settings and is being appreciated for its sensitive critique of the Indian joint family.
TOI Goa News
"Why are films in other languages called regional films, when these languages are also Indian. When someone says to me 'oh you are a regional filmmaker', I feel I am second class," he said, speaking at a session at the 47th International Film Festival of India (Iffi).
The session was being moderated by another alternative filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, who said that it is a kind of caste system in the film industry where Hindi films seem to top the Brahmanical order.
'Thithi' premiered at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival in 2015, where it won the Golden Leopard in the 'Filmmakers of the Present' category as well as the Best First Feature award. Subsequently, it was screened at various film festivals and has won numerous awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada.
The film was released in India this year with much success.
"I was upset because I was not being given screens in multiplexes despite our film doing so well. I am happy that my film has managed to toss the beliefs of the entire Kannada film industry and has confused everyone. And I like it. Films like the Marathi movie 'Court' paved the path for a 'Thithi'. The audience is now ready for content-based films. We have to set the Indian audience up for slow, reflective films," said Reddy.
'Thithi' is shot in a remote village in Karnataka in natural settings and is being appreciated for its sensitive critique of the Indian joint family.
TOI Goa News
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