| ashu |
Posted
on 16-Feb-01 09:20 AM
The Kathmandu Film Archives -- a joint-venture between
Martin Chautari and the Godavari Alumni
Association -- is pleased to present a
30-minute documentary called:
"The Making of Caravan: Film-making under extreme
conditions"
by Debra Kellner
The screening of the documentary will be followed
by a presentation by Ms. Kellner AND by Mr. Eric
Valli, the director of the Nepal-made,
Oscar-nominated (1999) movie "CARAVAN"
(released in the West as HIMALAYA).
Mr. Valli, a French national who speaks fluent
Nepali, will speak on:
"The craft of movie-making: Lessons from the making
of CARAVAN".
Venue: The GAA Hall, Thamel.
Date: Tuesday, February 20.
Time: The documentary starts at 3 pm.
Admission: FREE
Refreshments will be served.
Come one, come all!!
Special thanks to: Mahendra "HONDA" Shakya; Kunda
Dixit; Kanak Mani Dixit; Pratyoush Onta; Basanta
Thapa; Bhaskar Gautam and Sanjog Rupakheti.
Inspired by Cambridge's Harvard Film Archives and
Harvard Square's Brattle Theater, the Kathmandu
Film Archives was founded in September 2000.
The KFA's mission is to screen finest movies from
around the world on a regular basis in Kathmandu.
To that end, the KFA has already screened 8 movies.
Run by "non-filmi" people, the KFA also aims to
promote deeper, more rigorous understaning of all
aspects of movie-industry.
oohi
ashu
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 20-Feb-01 12:05 PM
Eric came and gave a wonderful presentation to
about an audience of about 100 at the GAA.
Here's more info on Eric:
************************
On Mr. Eric Valli
With the astounding success of his film, Caravan, you'd have expected Eric Valli to have at least a chip on his shoulder. But when we met Eric during his brief visit to Kathmandu last week there was no sign of it. Still the same intensely romantic artist and adventurer we met his first visit to Nepal in the 1970s when he fell in love with the country and stayed on. He is elated about the 11-week box office run of Caravan in Kathmandu and the acclaim that the film received here. "That is my biggest reward, that Nepalis liked the film", he says. "Nepal taught me about true courage, dignity, tolerance."
As a Nepal-France entry, Caravan was nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars [1999], but lost out to Pedro Almodovar's All About My Mother. However, the film was voted best film at Banff, Jury's Choice at Locarno, and for Best Music in Toronto. It is the second most successful film at the box office in France this year (where it was renamed Himalaya), and the number one film in Switzerland.
Eric grew up as a cabinet-maker in France, and was never formally trained in anything. "No one taught me to be a photographer, a director, or a cameraman. Basically I am a story-teller," he says. "And I have found that a feature film is the best way to recreate reality."
His latest work with Debra Kellner is the photo-essay of the Rana Tharu on the September cover of National Geographic magazine. A book version called Jungle Princess will be released in April 2001. Eric first shot to fame with his dramatic story of the Gurung honey-hunters of the Annapurnas, which was printed in National Geographic. Eric has other projects up his sleeves, but he is secretive about them. Even so, you can be sure that like the Rana Tharu, the salt caravans of Dolpo, or the honey-hunters they will be about societies and traditional ways of life that are in fragile transition as they are overwhelmed by the mainstream. Eric Valli has always given us one last glimpse before they disappear. (aken from The Nepali Times, October 20-26, 2000)
On Debra Kellner
Debra Kellner, the director of the documentary, is originally from Canada where she studied economics and worked in a finance-related profession. Her passion for Eastern languages took her to Paris and to parts of Asia. Since 1990, she has been travelling around the world, especially in China, India and Nepal as a photographer. Since 1994, her photography has showcased the everyday lives of Indian women.
The Kathmandu Film Archives is pleased to have both Eric and Debra as our featured speakers today. Special thanks to the members of Martin Chautari, the Godavari Alumni Association and Himal Association.
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