Shumona Banerjee, India, 2010, Betacam SP, 11'

sab 11 sett, h. 15.00, Teatro Strehler
lun 13 sett, h. 22.30, Teatro Strehler
gio 16 sett, h. 22.30, Parco - Piazza Grande

Regista/Director: Shumona Banerjee
English Title: The Flower Budd
Paese/Country: India
Anno/Year: 2010
Formato/Format: Betacam SP
Durata/Running Time: 11'
Produzione/Production: Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute,
Produttore/Producer Lise: Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute
Sceneggiatura/Screenplay: Shumona Banerjee
Montaggio/Editing: Manas Mittal
Fotografia/Cinematography: Raghavendra Matam
Sound Editor: Abhik Chatterjee
Cast: Rupak Roy, Tariq Vasudeva
Distribuzione/Distribution: Shumona Banerjee

La "divina" Kusum dispensa amore a pagamento a domicilio. Un giorno bussa alla sua porta un nevrotico insegnante di inglese, che ha disperatamente bisogno di un'esperienza con una donna. Non esattamente quello che Kusum può offrirgli... Veloce e frenetico come l'ansia da prestazione, Kusum � una commedia sull'amore che va oltre ogni pregiudizio. Pellicola sgranata da Bollywood movie, è il "compito a casa" di una 27enne di Mumbai. Dal suo gusto kitsch e gioiosamente low-fi, si resta ammaliati. Di Kusum, ci si innamora per forza.

"Divine" Kusum dispenses love for payment at home. One day a neurotic English teacher knocks at the door: he is desperately in need of an experience with a woman - which is not exactly what Kusum can offer him... Fast and frantic like the anguish of performing, Kusum is a comedy about love that goes beyond all prejudices. The grainy film of a Bollywood movie, it is the "homework" of a 27 year-old from Mumbai. Her joyously low-fi and kitsch taste leaves us enchanted. You can't help falling in love with Kusum.

Note di regia / Director's Statement

I believe in hope, and I believe it can mostly be found where you least expect it. The word "Kusum" means a flower bud and thus a blossoming or beginning of something. While we as a world are preoccupied with outlaws, we are seldom bothered about outcasts, as we grow increasingly intolerant of difference. The pressure to fit in has never been greater. This is the story of two such misfits who no one cares a damn about and their brief moment together as a pause in their ongoing struggles. Maybe if we cross the boundaries of prejudice and stereotype we just might find hope in a friend we never knew we could have.

Shumona Banerjee is presently a third year student of Direction and Screenplay writing in the prestigious Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, India. She is also an alumnus of AFA 2008 (cinematography), Asian Film Academy, Pusan International Film festival, having been selected as one of just 24 fellows chosen from all over Asia. Before being bitten by and being addicted to the filmmaking bug she has spent 8 years being under the spotlight rather than otherwise, as an actress, contemporary dancer, radio jockey, voice artist, anchor etc. finally giving up a flourishing career to study film. Eternally restless, ever curious , madly enthusiastic, stubbornly hard-working and fascinated with the whole process of filmmaking, she is a quick, keen and hungry learner always greedy to know and be more. Her attitude to filmmaking is that getting to make a film is like suddenly being chosen from a large crowd ,put on stage and given a megaphone. With everybody listening to you, and your voice carrying that far, you better be having something very worthwhile to say!