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CHAI Celebrates Migration This Season, Deepak Menon Film Showing & Conversations - Instant Cafe's House of Art and Ideas, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Start Time: End Time: Location: Street: Town/City: CHAI celebrates MIGRATION this season!
Sharaad Kuttan, Guest Curator
Deepak Menon Film Showing and Conversation with the director, his mother Sooria Kumari, a retired Tamil school teacher and the co-writer of his film Chemman Chaalai and some of the cast most of whom were amateurs.
DAY 1 (7th May 2010 at 8.30pm- 10.30pm)
Chemman Chaalai The Gravel Road
Synopsis
Chemman Chaalai is a drama set in the 1960s in a rubber estate in Malaysia. The story revolves around a rubber tappers family living in the estate. Shantha comes from a poor family. She lives in an estate, where higher education for women is near impossible. Shantha aspires to leave the estate and further her studies. However, due to many unfortunate circumstances this dream becomes a difficult one to achieve.
Director's Note
Malaysian Indians have little control on the economy and politics in Malaysia. A way forward would be education. The film emphases the importance of education for the growth of the community and nation.
"The Gravel Road is an equally rare instance of Tamil-language Malaysian film-making. At once brooding and beautifully shot mainly in moonlit forest groves and lonely, muddy lanes, Menon's story (from a screenplay by his mother) about a teenage girl's determination to stay in school despite her family's desire that she upholds tradition and surrender to a life of menial day work takes equal inspiration from Satyajit Ray's Apu trilogy and Malcolm X's assertion that a race, like an individual, can only find fulfillment through confidence, talent, and an unwavering belief in itself." - Chuck Stephens, The San Francisco Bay, Guardian
DAY 2 (8th May at 8.30pm- 10.30pm)
Chalanggai Dancing Bells
Synopsis
Uma lives with her mother, Muniammah, and elder brother Siva, in a soon to be demolished neighborhood secluded in the backyards of the rapidly developing Brickfields township. The occupants of the town are strictly addicted to a daily routine. Just another routine addict, Muniammah owns a small make shift stall knitting and selling jasmine flower garlands to support her family needs.
"Just as in his first film, Menon draws a beautifully realistic and detailed portrait of a family that has to survive and above all has to maintain its dignity. The film was shot entirely on location in Brickfield and the cast is made up of local amateurs. This makes Dancing Bells not only authentic, but also emotional. These are real feelings of real people portrayed in a realistic way." - Gertjan Zuilhof, Film Programmer, International Film Festival Rotterdam
Entry by donation to CHAI, min RM10.
CHAI WALLAHs enter for free.*
* For more information on CHAI WALLAH, check out http://blog.instantcafetheatre.com/2010/04/chai-wallah/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOREWORD
Moving Forward with Hope, Dreams, Anticipation, and Continuous Self Improvement
A brand new site!
What's great about a new year is that it looks backward and forward, and we are truly blessed to have so much to look back on and so much excitement to anticipate.
Another year passes filled with memories, experiences, falling downs, getting back ups and the strength to move along.
2009 has given the gift of many shared memories to last a lifetime, a timely call for contemplation and reflections. The past years brought many hopes.
Hope for continued support and exposure for our humble film works, namely Chemman Chaalai (The Gravel Road), and Chalanggai (Dancing Bells). Both Malaysian Indian community films have brought us tremendous exposure and support - home and abroad. It has shown us that humility, sincerity, and hard work never goes unnoticed.
Hope for research journal publications for further global integration, cultural value sharing, and knowledge sharing.
Hope for a renewed and progressive development in achieving excellence in the field of photo journalism. We have now grown to a team of eight consisting of photographers and designers to offer our commitment and personalized consultation for our growing demands from clients.
All these success could have only been possible with the support from all the beautiful souls who has showered us with blessings and encouragement to further our voyage in the amazing world of Academics, Filmmaking, and Photo Journalism.
I have come to accept what you are able to do and not able to do. Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it. Learn to forgive yourself and forgive others. Not to assume that it’s too late to get involved.
I’ve decided I’m going to live – or at least try to live - the way I want, with dignity, with courage, with humor, with composure.
I wish to extend my very sincere best wishes and hope to receive continuous support from our valued clients, dearest community members, loving family, and awesome friends towards our on going effort to achieve our new year's resolution.
May the year two thousand and ten bring loads of cheer, buckets of love and peace through out the year and beyond!
Talk to you soon!
Salam,
DEEPAK K MENON
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