JOIN USThe Pickle Jar has organised a film festival – Bhumika: The Smita Patil Retrospective – in memory of the late actor. The three-day festival will open at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) on April 8.
Padma Shri and national awardee, Smita Patil would have been 60 this year. In a short but brilliant career, Smita played powerful roles in movies such as Bhumika, Manthan, Gaman, Arth and Mirch Masala. Movie after movie, she breathed magic into her roles, transforming effortlessly into the character she was playing.
Nine of Smita’s movies will be screened at the festival. Films in multiple languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Malayalam are on the agenda. Renowned director Shyam Benegal will open the festival ‘Bhumika,’ named after his own film. Director Mahesh Bhatt will be the guest of honour.
The NGMA gallery will simultaneously display a collection of rare photographs featuring Smita, as well as photographs captured by her.
In tandem, at Alliance Francaise, the Bengaluru launch of the actor’s biography, ‘Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence’, will take place in the presence of author Maithili Rao.
The community-funded film festival will be used as a forum to talk about two crucial issues that Indian cinema faces today: ‘Whither parallel cinema?’ and ‘Locating women in mainstream Indian cinema.’
The festival will have seasoned and fresh voices from the Hindi and Kannada cinema industry share their experiences on acting, directing, scripting, producing and collaborating, say the organisers.