Wes Anderson, Sharmila Tagore to present Ray's restored classic at Cannes

Time of India

10-05-2025

Sharmila Tagore
In a cinematic crossover that no one could have anticipated,
Sharmila Tagore
will be joining acclaimed filmmaker
Wes Anderson
in presenting the restored version of her 1970 film
Aranyer Din Ratri
( Days and Nights in the Forest ) at the 78th
Cannes Film Festival
. The idea to restore the
Satyajit Ray
classic, which has been selected for a premiere in the Cannes Classics Section, came from Anderson.
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He has always acknowledged the late filmmaker's influence on his cinematic oeuvre.
In fact, Anderson's last film, Asteroid City , starring Tom Hanks, features an entire segment on stargazing that was inspired by Ray's film. In an interview, Anderson was quoted saying, 'We stole that (segment) absolutely wholesale from Satyajit Ray's Days and Nights in the Forest. It's a great movie. If that movie had a genre, it would be whatever genre The Darjeeling Limited is in. These guys (characters) get in a car and go off somewhere together, and they discover things.'
So, when Anderson who is also a board member of
Martin Scorsese
's The Film Foundation (TFF) suggested restoring the film in 2019, the journey began with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and his
Film Heritage Foundation
, who stepped in to access the original camera and sound negatives and initiate the restoration process.
The project was hindered by the pandemic, and after four years of back and forth between Mumbai, Calcutta, and Italy, the film was finally restored in 4K at the L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. The primary elements used for the restoration were the original camera and sound negatives.
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Aranyer Din Ratri is a film about four young men from Calcutta, driving together for a few days in the country, and the women they meet. Talking about the film, she says,"I remember I was shooting for Aradhana when Manikda approached me to shoot for this film for a month in a stretch. It was incredibly hot during the shoot and we could only shoot in the mornings and late afternoons. I have wonderful memories of the time spent with my co-actors and Manikda's precision, especially in the way he shot the memory game sequence, was incredible. I can't wait to watch the restored film. Aranyer Din Ratri is such a contemporary film that I know it will resonate with new audiences across the world even today."
Anything signed by Satyajit Ray must be cherished and preserved: Wes Anderson
'Anything signed by Satyajit Ray must be cherished and preserved; but the nearly-forgotten Days and Nights in the Forest is a special/particular gem...Made in 1970. Modern and novelistic. Ray worked in terrain perhaps more familiar to Cassavetes. A clash/negotiation between castes and sexes. Urbans and rurals. Selfish men and their hopes and cruelties and spectacular lack of wisdom. Women who see through them. The great Soumitra Chatterjee: lost but searching. The great Sharmila Tagore: mysterious, cerebral, mesmerizing. From the master, another masterpiece.'
Fourth year in a row when an Indian film is selected in Cannes Classics
This is the fourth year in a row when an Indian film restored by efforts of the Film Heritage Foundation is returning to Cannes Classic. Film Heritage Foundation's earlier restorations – Aravindan Govindan's 'Thamp', Aribam Syam Sharma's 'Ishanou' and Shyam Benegal's 'Manthan' had red-carpet world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
I am so happy that I will be in Cannes to present Manikda's film at the premiere: Sharmila Tagore
It's wonderful that Manik Da's 'Aranyer Din Ratri' has been restored and will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this year. This is a very special moment for me and I am so happy that I will be in Cannes to present the film at the premiere.
Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri has inspired a generation of filmmakers: Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
From the title sequence, the haunting score, the chemistry of the four actors, the unforgettable grace and beauty of Sharmila Tagore, the way he captured the Santhal tribals, the iconic memory game sequence that has inspired generations of filmmakers.It was an incredible experience to work on the restoration of one of my favourite Satyajit Ray films – 'Aranyer Din Ratri' (Days and Nights in the Forest) and see the beauty of the film come to life again after 56 years.
I'm amazed by the meticulous approach that was taken to restoration process: Sandip Ray (son of Satyajit Ray)
Aranyer Din Ratri' is, still today, one of my favourite films and the restoration work that has been done to it is absolutely stunning. I worked closely with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur through the whole restoration process and was quite amazed by the meticulous approach that was taken to the restoration.
Working with Satyajit Ray was like stepping into the mind of a quiet genius: Simi Garewal quote
"I still remember the silence of the forests, the rhythm of the shoot. Working with Satyajit Ray was like stepping into the mind of a quiet genius - every word, every gesture mattered, and he had this rare ability to make you discover depths in yourself you didn't know existed.'
4K restoration completed using the original camera and sound negative preserved by Purnima Dutta, and magnetic track preserved at the BFI National Archive.
Restoration credits - The film was restored by Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project at L'Immagine Ritrovata in collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and the Criterion Collection for which funding was provided by the Golden Globe Foundation. The restoration began with the suggestion of Wes Anderson.