Latest news with #SabarBonda
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sthal, Sabar Bonda: Marathi cinema finds global spotlight at festivals
India's first ever feature film - Raja Harishchandra - in 1913, was made in the Marathi language. Over the past few decades, though, Marathi cinema lost its way, overshadowed by Hindi films from Bollywood. But could a revival be in sight?The critically acclaimed Marathi language drama Sthal (A Match) opens with a striking role reversal: instead of the bride, it's the prospective groom who endures the dehumanising ritual of being scrutinised for an arranged we soon learn it's Savita, the film's protagonist, waking from an impossible dream - her real life, like that of many Indian women caught in the tradition of arranged marriage, is the exact offers an unsparing look at the grim side of arranged marriage in India—often romanticised on screen with song and dance. It's also part of a wave of Marathi films earning global acclaim this Bonda, a semi-personal rural romance between two men, made history as the first Marathi film to screen at Sundance—and won a Grand Jury Prize. Meenakshi Shedde, a senior programme advisor for South Asian films at the Toronto International Film Festival, called it "a daring, exquisite rural gay romance", and its bold, tender storytelling "historic". Once pioneers of Indian cinema, Marathi films have long been hurt by Bollywood's dominating influence in the state of Maharashtra - where the language is spoken - and elsewhere in the country. But in the past decade, they've been quietly making a global mark, with diverse, acclaimed titles lighting up international Manjule's romantic-tragedy Sairat was picked up for Berlinale in 2016. Chaitanya Tamhane's The Disciple won the best screenplay award at Venice a few years later - Oscar-winner Afonso Cuaron came on-board as its executive least a dozen other independent and experimental Marathi films have since found a spot at global festivals, handling an impressive diversity of Nalawade's Follower, which was selected for the Rotterdam Film Festival and had a limited theatrical release for instance, dives into the radicalisation of India's youth, exploring the life of a small-town troll with Second Chance, a black-and-white debut by Subhadra Mahajan, a woman's post-trauma journey leads her to the Himalayas. Premiered at Busan, it hits Indian theatres this June. With strong roots in Marathi literature and theatre, including experimental theatre, Marathi cinema has always produced strong films, Shedde of the independent films offer "quiet spaces for reflection" she adds, unlike the bombastic commercial appeal of aesthetics of this cinema reflect the often marginal backgrounds of its makers - many are self-taught and outside traditional power Sabar Bonda director Rohan Kanawade, for instance - he grew up in Mumbai's slums but dared to dream of making films."This brings a rich, unschooled, rawness and lived experience to their cinema. They are very different from the smooth universal polish of films that tend to come out of international script labs and international co-productions," Shedde says. But unlike the steady stream of content from other regional cinema - such as Malayalam films from Kerala - Marathi films still emerge in bursts. That's partly because there's no institutional support, says Shefali Bhushan, Sthal's producer, who, along with three other partners, put their own money to finance the big studios don't pick-up Marathi projects without an "obvious commercial appeal", which means an ecosystem supportive of experimental artistic voices is sorely lacking, she Kerala, Maharashtra also offers little state support for regional cinema and lacks a strong movie-going centred mainly around the cities of Mumbai and Pune, Marathi films "feel the full, suffocating weight of Bollywood, that other regional cinemas don't", says Maharashtra does not have Kerala's highly "cine-literate audience" where "rice farmers discuss [legendary filmmaker Sergei] Eisenstein and his legacy", giving those filmmakers confidence that their small indie film can recover costs and make money, she adds. The makers are also to be partially blamed, says veteran film critic Ashok Rane, who was tasked by the state government to market the region's films at Cannes in the last done little to explore subjects that "speak a universal language" and would appeal to the global audience, Rane told the says the industry's growth has also been stymied by the "lack of aggressive ambition" and the absence of a film distribution system meant that, for decades, India was the "graveyard of good cinema".However, she believes international recognition at festivals such as Sundance and Cannes will help to address this – especially for Indie filmmakers wanting to expand to non-traditional markets. Bhushan agrees - the chance to show her film at Cannes, facilitated by the Maharashtra government, has opened new says the festivals are "a chance to learn how to make sales to different territories, mount new projects as co-productions with people [from around the globle]". "There's a whole world waiting to be tapped."Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sundance-Winning ‘Cactus Pears' Director Rohan Kanawade Signs With Cinetic Media (EXCLUSIVE)
Following his historic Sundance Grand Jury Prize win for 'Cactus Pears' ('Sabar Bonda'), director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade has inked a management deal with Cinetic Media, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. Kanawade's debut feature made history as the first Marathi-language film and first Indian fiction title to claim Sundance's top World Cinema Dramatic Competition honor this past January. More from Variety Les Studios de Paris, Where 'Jackie' and 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Filmed, Positions Itself as One Stop Shop for International Productions Polish Talents Continue to Rise as Industry Eyes Overhaul to Incentive Scheme: 'We Need a System Equal to the Needs of Poland' 'The President's Cake' Review: Hasan Hadi's Warm and Heart-Tugging Tale Sends Dutiful Kids on an Odyssey in Saddam Hussein's Iraq 'It's an incredible honor to be represented by Cinetic Media, a company known for championing cinema that pushes creative boundaries and defies conventional norms,' Kanawade told Variety. 'For a story as personal and intimate as 'Sabar Bonda' to find global resonance – and now, a team that believes in its journey as much as we do – is both humbling and empowering. This partnership isn't just about where the film goes next – it's about what kinds of stories get to be seen, heard, and remembered. I hope this marks the beginning of a longer arc for regional, authentic and emotionally grounded Indian stories to travel across languages and borders.' In 'Cactus Pears,' a 30-something city dweller named Anand is forced to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in rural western India, where he forms an unexpected bond with a local farmer struggling to remain unmarried. The emotionally resonant drama has connected with audiences across borders since its Sundance triumph. The film will receive a theatrical release via Strand Releasing this fall, following a festival run that included New Directors/New Films, San Francisco Film Festival (where it won the Special Jury Prize – Visions), and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (winner of the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature). Marcus Hu of Strand Releasing said: 'Strand is thrilled to hear this news and what a great partnership for the filmmaking team to get this representation.' Neeraj Churi, a producer on the film and founder of Lotus Visual Productions, added: 'While Cinetic Media has always aimed to champion films and filmmakers that are bold and original, this development reaffirms that the global film industry is expanding its gaze, ready to embrace not only big cinema but brave cinema. We also acknowledge the unique role played by NFDC lab, Co-pro market and India Cine Hub grant in shaping and propelling the film and Rohan into the international arena. With MPM premium, Strand Releasing and Cinetic, we are excited to collaborate with a team that truly understands nuance and recognizes the potential of Indian independent cinema in all its emotional complexity.' Kanawade's personal journey adds another layer to the film's success story. Raised in a one-room house in a Mumbai slum by a chauffeur father and illiterate homemaker mother, he is a self-made filmmaker with a background in interior design. His short films have screened globally, and 'Cactus Pears' was developed in the Venice Biennale College Cinema 2022-2023, and was also included in the Film London Production Finance Market 2021, NFDC Marathi Script Camp 2021, Film Bazaar 2022, Venice Gap Financing Market 2023 and Goes to Cannes 2024. The cast includes Bhushaan Manoj, Jayshri Jagtap, and Suraaj Suman. Behind the camera, Vikas Urs handled cinematography, with Anadi Athaley editing and Anirban Borthakur and Naren Chandavarkar as sound designers. Cinetic will represent Kanawade across all media. 'Cactus Pears' is produced by Neeraj Churi (Lotus Visual Productions, U.K.), Mohamed Khaki (Canada), Kaushik Ray (Taran Tantra Telefilms, U.K.), Naren Chandavarkar (Moonweave Films, India), Sidharth Meer (Bridge PostWorks, India) and Hareesh Reddypalli (Dark Stories, India), along with co-producer Jim Sarbh (Wonderful Entertainment, India) and associate producer Rajesh Parwatkar (U.K.).Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Sabar Bonda' continues strong festival run, wins audience award at IFFLA
Following its history-making win at the Sundance film festival earlier this year, Rohan Kanawade's Marathi-language queer drama Sabar Bonda has added another feather to its cap. The film, about a young man returning to his roots in rural Maharashtra, recently won the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) 2025. The film also received an Honorary Mention for Acting from the IFFLA jury for the performances of Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman. Sabar Bonda follows city-dweller Anand, played by Manoj, as he embarks on a 10-day mourning ritual in his ancestral village after his father's death. Speaking about the win at IFFLA, the producers in a joint statement said, 'From the beginning, we knew Sabar Bonda was a quiet recognition is not just for our team, but for the entire ecosystem of independent cinema.' They added: 'We're proud to see it embraced at such an iconic platform like IFFLA. An audience recognition like this one reaffirms something we've always held true: there is an audience for every story.' Back in February, Sabar Bonda became the first Indian fiction film to win in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival. The film secured a theatrical release in North America via Strand Releasing.
