‘Films ought to have an element of universality’

“With the rise of digital media, accessibility to technology has increased, enabling a broader spectrum of individuals to engage in film-making. While technology is a key factor, aesthetics, intellect, skills, values, and rigor remain crucial aspects of the craft”, said Arvind Sinha, the chairperson of Indian Panorama non-Feature Films Jury.

The seven member Jury, headed by Shri Arvind Sinha, of the Indian Panorama non-Feature Films expressed their views about the films featuring in the Non Feature Films section of IFFI 54, at a press conference today.

The Jury chairperson said that unlike in the past there is more focus and attention on fictional films these days and the number of documentaries being made are lesser. He expressed that the change may be because of the advent of digital mediums and technology which has increased accessibility to filmmaking.

The Chairperson also said that there are funding issues for producing documentaries and they are self-funded these days. He explained that the quality of documentaries being made has come down and we need to come up with better works that capture the stark reality. He said the rigor, hard work, skill and cinematic values are essential for good filmmaking.

“Revitalize documentaries by avoiding outdated styles and focusing on evolving content for young generation. ‘Chernobyl’s success highlights the need for engaging narratives, fostering in youth an interest for documentary propagation,” highlighted one of the Jury members, Paushali Ganguli.

Finally, while talking about the debate on content value versus the popularity/reach of the film, the chairperson explained that the film has to essentially have a cinematic value. “There has to be an ‘element of universality’ so that it can reach both national and international audience. The element of universality which touches all human being across race, creed and diversity” he said. He also quoted master filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Adoor Gopalakrishnan whose films carried the ethos of universality and thus appealed to a global audience.