In the fall of 2014, the George Eastman Museum acquired a
massive archive of 775 35mm Indian film prints (representing 597 titles) made
between 1999 and 2013. Discovered in an abandoned multiplex in Southern
California, the films had been shipped from India for release in specialized
theaters in the United States. It’s the largest collection of contemporary
Indian cinema in the world.
“It’s a
collection of immense cultural value, because it really tells us volumes about
this particular industry, about life in India, about the tastes of the
country’s audiences,” says Jurij Meden, the museum’s
curator of film exhibitions. With Indian film studios not actively preserving
their prints after theatrical and home video release, the conservation of those
titles became incredibly important. “And then once it was here, we thought ‘why
not do something with them?”
And so the
idea for the “Stories of Indian Cinema” film series was born. The series will
screen seven titles from the collection, giving Rochester audiences the
opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the films at the Dryden Theatre. To help
narrow down the titles into such a streamlined series, The George Eastman
Museum team consulted with a dozen Indian film experts: scholars, historians,
critics, curators, archivists, and filmmakers. They were asked to send a list
of titles included in the archive which they believe were the most important or
most representative films of that collection.
Three years
in the making, the resulting program provides a snapshot of some of the
essentials of contemporary Indian cinema. The film series begins on Thursday,
November 9 with “Devdas,” one of the most iconic
recent Bollywood films, then “Om Shanti Om,” on December 7. A Bollywood film
about Bollywood, “it’s sort of the ‘La La Land’ of
Bollywood cinema,” says Meden. The series continues with five more titles — spanning
a variety of genres and styles — which will screen through May of 2018.
Running
concurrently with the film series, the “Abandoned and Rescued” exhibit gives a
behind-the-scenes look into exactly what occurs when the museum acquires a new
collection, tracing the path of the Indian film archive from the time is was
found, through its journey to Rochester where it became part of the Eastman
Museum collection.
Meden says
he’s excited about the exhibit’s unique presentation. “The Moving Image
Department at the George Eastman Museum has existed since 1949, and this is the
very first time that we are actually opening up ourselves and showing the
day-to-day operations of how we inspect and preserve these films.” In addition,
150 Indian movie posters will be displayed, out of the nearly 6,000 that were
found alongside the film prints.
Also on
display at the museum is a complementary photography exhibition, “Nandita Raman: Cinema Play House,” a series of
black-and-white photographs of single-screen cinemas in India that were
abandoned as, much like in the U.S., the country’s movie-going habits shift
toward gleaming multiplexes.
The Indian
film series, “Stories of Indian Cinema: Abandoned & Rescued,” and “Nandita Raman: Cinema Play House,” will be on display at the
George Eastman Museum through May of 2018.
Coming Attractions:
The Empire Film Music Ensemble will be playing “Songs of the
Valiant: A Veterans Day Concert,” presenting selections from some of the
greatest military films of all time, including “Dunkirk,” “Platoon,” and
“Saving Private Ryan.” The concert will be held Friday, November 10, 7 p.m. at
the Downtown United Presbyterian Church (121 North Fitzhugh Street). Proceeds
benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, providing support to veterans and service
members injured on or after 9/11. Admission is free, though donations are
encouraged.
The touching doc “Dina” examines issues of autism and
intimacy as it follows the life of a woman in the weeks before her wedding to
man who’s also on the autism spectrum. The screening is sponsored by Move to
Include, a program designed to spotlight people with intellectual and physical
disabilities. “Dina” screens on Tuesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday,
November 18 at 3 p.m. at the Little Theatre (240 East Avenue). Admission is
free.
African-American artist, filmmaker, and DJ Ephraim Asili gets a showcase in “Forged Ways: Films by Ephraim Asili,” which will present the artist’s work exploring
social iconography, identity, geography, and architecture through the lens of
media culture. The show will be held at the Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince
Street) on November 18, 8 to 10 p.m. vsw.org.
The Italian Film Series will screen “The Medicine Seller,” a
timely drama about a pharmaceutical salesman involved in the corruption of the
Italian medical assistance and welfare state system, on Tuesday November 28, at
the Little Theatre. 7 p.m. Tickets $10-$12. ameritalroc.com.
Have information about an upcoming film event or
screening? Send details to adam.lubitow@gmail.com.
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2017.
