A Syam's dassic 'Ishanou' retakes fest tours across globe
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, November 29 2023:
Iconic Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma stands tall as his magnum opus Ishanou,' after three decades of its release, travels film festivals across continents once again in 4K avatar, retaining the emotional tale of love and loss steeped in Manipuri culture.
The Manipuri classic, which had its world premiere at Festival de Cannes in May this year at the Cannes Classic Section with a red-carpet reception, has an impressive line-up of festivals.
Scheduled for next month, the fiestas include Cinema Ritrovato Bolongo, Italy, The Heritage Film Festival, Berlin, and Jio MAMI Mumbai.
'Ishanou' will be also screened at Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes, France, and Singapore International Film Festival.
At Cannes, 'Ishanou' rubbed shoulders with other world classic movies and played to a full-house audience, even as Syam observed that his flick's success was possible only because of the rich cultural heritage of Manipur.
"It's the rich soil that gives us a unique cultural expression reflecting our identity.
This very background has made the film possible, " the octogenarian filmmaker said.
The premiere at Cannes elicits a sense of deja vu as the film had its earlier tour to the same festival way back in 1991 when it got invited as an official selection in the "Un Certain Regard section".
It is considered a proud moment for Indian cinema as 'Ishanou' (1990) is the second film of the country to be bestowed the honour of Cannes Classic after Govindan Aravindan's Malayali film 'Thampu' (1978), following their restoration.
Unfortunately, cine-lovers of Manipur could not celebrate the cinematic feat due to the violence that has engulfed the whole state since May this year.
Doyen of Manipuri cinema, Syam still yearns to make more films, and he is responsible for putting Manipuri cinema on the global map.
He has 33 non-fiction and 15 fiction films to his credit, which won multiple awards and travelled prestigious festivals worldwide.
Syam continued that it is an honour to be listed among masters like Jean Luc Godard, Yasujiro Ozu, Alfred Hitchcock, and the like in the Cannes Classic Section.
"I would say my devotion to cinema is paid off, and I am happy that a film based on the culture of a small community has been able to reach such heights," he added.
The legendary filmmaker also pointed out that the 4K restoration has given a new lease of life to 'Ishanou'.
He expressed gratitude for the concerted effort of Film Heritage Foundation and Manipur State Film Development Society.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder of Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), when asked the reason behind choosing 'Ishanou' for the restoration said, "Indian cinema means regional cinema.
It may be Oriya, Telegu, Kannada, Malayali, or Manipuri.
They are the true gems of Indian cinema.
But unfortunately, they are overshadowed by Bollywood.
Our focus is to find regional cinema".
Shivendra, who went on to point out that Syam is an embodiment of Manipuri culture, said, "In the heart of his body of works, Syam made humanistic stories premised on the culture of Manipur.
His films are so poetic almost like an ancient scripture being told, " 'Ishanou' is a reflection of life so beautifully told, he added.
Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) has also been instrumental in taking up the restoration work of 'Ishanou' as a part of its film archival mission.
The secretary of the society, Sunzu Bachaspatimayum said he is immensely proud of Ishanou's achievement.
"This achievement holds deep significance as MSFDS led the endeavour to digitally preserve and restore 'Ishanou' at the prestigious restoration institute, L'lmmagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, and Prasad Corporation Pvt Ltd, Chennai.
The film is a cornerstone of Manipur's film legacy, encapsulating 50 years of Manipuri Cinema from 1972 to 2021," he said.
The story, screenplay, and costume design of the film are by the celebrated Manipuri writer, MK Binodini Devi, cinematographed by Girish Padhiar, edited by Ujjal Nan-dy with Anoubam Kiranmala, Kangabam Tomba, Manbi, and Dhiren as the main cast.
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