The balance to be able to watch good films along with bad does not exist. In such a circumstance the challenges for a programmer still lies in breaking away from these conventions and images as also mentioned earlier.
“Cinema is a paradox, being a mass art; it is interpreted by cinema literates.” (1)
Indian being the highest producer of films has assured that films has reached every nook and corner of the Nation. As far as the literates: film programmers, film critics, film scholars, film teachers are concerned, not only do we not have the infrastructure to support them but in India such literates are almost nonexistent.
Any communication begins with a sender at one end and receiver at the other, where the message transmission is disrupted through noise. Cinema being a tool of communication, with director sending out the message to the audience has often been the victim of noise due to the lack of such cinema literates. Under such a circumstance our cinema has been affected in many ways; for film schools, students do not have the right guide to help them explore cinematic possibilities; for an audience, they lack an understanding of good and bad due to the limited viewing habits; for directors and other films making professional, there is a lack to look at their work objectively; and most importantly, a space for good cinema is automatically killed due to the lack of programming possibilities that should try to create an alternate space for good cinema. At such a scenario, when the gap between the film maker and the audience is huge, it has given an advantage to the film maker to be a capitalist who has mastered the art of selling his films to maximize his profits through his venture/films and reach out to masses with limited choices making audience his puppets. Due to the lack of programmers, critics, scholars bringing to attention to the audience what is good and bad, the maker himself becomes the programmer, distributer and critic to the audience. This has been the biggest reason for cinema always being a cul de sac for audience as well.
Looking at the developments in cinema in the recent years, there has been a rise in film festival, sudden distribution of foreign films DVDs, and shift in T.V. programming of films and emerging film clubs in various cities. All this although seems a positive factor for the growth of cinema but they lack one common aspect: a good programmer to take good films to masses. All these positions have been rather acquired by corporates, who possess money but lack cinephiles. Hence they face trouble in understanding what should be the best film that is worth acquiring the rights of, the films that should be shown on TV, films to be selected for film festivals, films to be screened at various culture centers. And it is for these reasons why a film programmer is so necessary.
On the other hand looking at bodies promoting cinema under the government like National Development Of Film Corporation, Directorate of Film festivals India are headed by government officials and not cinephiles themselves. So when an international film festival demands Indian films, films being sent out are more based on personal choices and networks of these officials than representing the best of Indian cinema to foreign film festival. A programmer must assist these departments to liaison in sending the best of Indian films to international festivals and in turn getting the best of foreign films for our audience. It is out of these gaps that a need for film programmer or curator emerges.
A need for programmer in Indian has usually been felt only for such big international festivals in India and have ended with them. However to be a film programmer has certain requisites and in a country like India, where art itself is still gaining importance; being a film programmer has to search its own path, facing more challenges and carry more responsibilities.
To understand what is film programmer in simplest manner; a film programmer is anyone who screens films and curator is someone who looks into the archives and screens for museums, galleries. And in the emerging scenario for film screenings, film clubs, local festivals, work of a programmer is unheard of. Those organizing such screenings are not cinephiles as such but more involved in social causes, or art in general, or the foreign culture centers in India promoting their own country. All these have one thing in common they are promoting their own cause but trying to create a space for good cinema.
Looking at the history of the film society movement in India during the 60’s when cinema saw a new course in India, it happened only when cinephiles: Chidananda Das Gupta and Satyajit Ray in Kolkata hit it off and then Adoor Gopalakrishnan in Kerala. The reason why such a movement sustained only once in the history was because it was started by cinephiles themselves. With a clear objective to provide the audience to witness international cinema, since in the commercial film circle no other films found its way. (2) Few decades gone, the scenario today in India is the same; there are still no exhibitors for films beyond the commercial films circle. The importance for paving the way for international cinema among the masses was realized with an International film festival back then and today even though international films have been introduced to the market this has been done without any realization for the importance of cinema, since it started with the corporate interests and not serving the cinephiles. Today how audience experiences cinema might have changed but what they watch is still dominated and guided by the capitalist. Therefore, a film programmer, who has an understanding of cinema, has an insight to the history and contemporary developments of cinema, in other words a true cinephile must exist. And this is a pre requisite for a film programmer, to be a cinephile, it only then that he can contribute in building a cinematic culture in his town.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” - Ludwig Wittgenstein
He then must understand the traditions of viewing habits of the audience what they have been watching, what needs to be added, how he can break away from the conventions. This is the most challenging part for the programmer since the viewing habits of the kind of films they watch have been constant since decades. Audiences are not only not used to world cinema but their own regional cinema as well, and have been dominated by the commercial productions. Hence the major problems that the clubs, and screenings today face is getting audience. To break away from something that audience has been watching since decades is the most difficult crisis that a programmer must learn to overcome. The viewing habits in terms how the audience sees a film has definitely changed but what they see has remained constant.
Reflecting back at the past, the pattern of any development of images, say image of a God (through rock art, sculpture, paintings, clay idols etc) have carried forward a similar imaginations in different forms that has led to traditions and firm believers or devotee of that creation. To break away from the image of that God, to a new one is an impossible task to achieve that has been carried forward since decades, even if the evidence shows it. For e.g. if today a painter starts painting a blue face of an elephant with a pot of butter claiming it as Lord Krishna, there will be a conflict between the traditions of image and the new way of expressing the image presentation of Lord Krishna. Hence, in a way to see Lord Krishna in every image representation has become a tradition, myth and also a superstition. And the most difficult tasks lies in breaking away from it especially in the metros of India.
The growth of images in cinema has also formed a certain sort of beliefs and traditions among the viewing habits of the audience. The challenge for a programmer lies in understanding these traditions of watching films and then introducing a space for alternate cinema beyond the mainstream, so that cinema gains is importance other than being a cul-de-sac medium. To introduce a new tradition of viewing image in cinema, the programmer will witness similar challenge as an artist will in expressing the mythology in new ways. Therefore challenging the viewing habits cannot be implemented until understood. Hence a programmer/curator is required for film clubs, local festivals and screening, for which most of the organizers refuse the demand of.
While the watching habits in terms of how and what definitely differs from metros, to small towns to rural village. In T.V. with new satellite channels showing foreign films are becoming more and more status symbol, for film clubs and festival a certain intellect always want to be a part of the crowd, and for theatres it is all about commercial releases giving luxurious, multiplex experience and as for internet savvy, the new streaming and downloadable movie options are gaining popularity. Even though the accessibility to watch any film might have increased yet the quality remains a big question. The balance to be able to watch good films along with bad does not exist. In such a circumstance the challenges for a programmer still lies in breaking away from these conventions and images as also mentioned earlier.
Similarly as far as rural viewing habits are concerned, a programmer will have to deal with different problems altogether. Although today there exists no option at these places apart from commercial cinema this was not always the case. Going back to the history again, the film movement was gaining momentum in the metros during the 60’s and this movement entered the rural areas only when Marie Seton, who first realized the potential to educate people in these areas through film. She was perhaps the first programmer to understand what importance cinema can hold in such places and push cinema to rural places. And the gradual decline in the movement, for decades and now has resulted in no option at these places to watch any other film than commercial fantasies. And in such a scenario where only the commercial fantasies exist, cinema for them is no less than a dream. These rural places have given space for such dreams like idols (actors/superstars) a place next to another dream like/ powerful idol and that is the idol of his Lord. So when a festival of lord is to be celebrated, it is given equal emotional response to that of such dream idols from cinema. (No wonder today the political parties need them). This is where a challenge for a programmer lies in dealing with the rural areas, to be able to get them out from the dreamy and fantasy world and build a better learning experience through cinema. A programmer will also face challenges to decide what films to show, since most of the films do not have subtitles in Hindi or their respective language. Even if there are not many know how to read them. So the challenge lies both in breaking away from the dream as well as in selecting from the limited films that can be watched.
These breaking away from the traditions can only be done by a programmer who constantly dedicates time in understanding what kind of films should be shown. However programming alone cannot bring about a change and lead them to think consciously about how to look at films. He needs to be provide a platform for intensive discussions, where a programmer is a mentor to moderate them, and involved the audience as much as possible without being preachy. This is an added responsibility for a programmer that he must carry, the act of communicating through cinema accompanying the act of communication with the audience about cinema.
It is only when this takes place could there be a revival not only in cinephilia in India, but towards building a positive growth in cinema in future, building better directors through this platform. And he must be able to provide this platform to challenge their viewing habits in a way that is balanced for the audience to have a reason to come back again, to be motivated to watch good and bad, to be able to see all kinds of films. And it is only then that the audience will be able to decide what is good and bad for themselves.
Because; “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” - Ludwig Wittgenstein
It is only when a programmer understand these directions could he also create an importance of a programmer itself in the country.
Notes:-
1. Alain Badiou : http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/badiou050609.html
Tags: Cinephilia in India, Film Programming, Indian Cinema, November Issue no-7 2009
Posted By Supriya | Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 | Filed under Cover Story
Loved the article, Supriya. I had never thought so deeply regarding film programming per se. But this article does bring plenty of important things to notice and its importance. Thanks for bringing it forth.
HI kavita,
Thanks for your comment.
Although I have written for Cinema programming and tried to myself understand its importance and impact, I feel programming is something that should be taken seriously even for television.
We need intelligent programmers not only for cinema but television as well and in the growing Internet video watching habits perhaps an introspection for better future is required
Do you have a plan ??
Hi Alok,
Yes, I do have a plan for it. This article is the philosophy behind Cine Darbaar,
That will be working towards development of cinema at a grass root level.
As the website is done, you can go through the services to see how we are planning to bring about a change for a better cinematic culture.
But although, I believe writing itself is a plan to bring about any change, it is action by itself.
Hi Supriya,
Thanks for your reply
“The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways—the point however is to change it”
what do you think ?
Alok
Each war is won in the war room. Each democracy is run in the parliament. Each corporation is run in the conference room. Each religion is born under a tree. Each film is made inside a film theater where a group of cinephiles are converted into film makers. Each great rock concert is born in a garage. Each revolution is born in a basement.
It is baseless to separate the eventual result from its process. Or a movement from its epicenter. ‘Action’ as you interpret it does not exist in haphazard random execution, for I can bang my head against a wall and call it ‘action’, but apart from a broken skull and a haemorraged brain, I fail to comprehend any other fruitful result I may attain. It is always better, thus, to construct a door.
What do you think?
A thought to bring about a change that concerns an individual shapes up through an idea. That idea must now use a platform to take a particular action. This action means nothing but being actively involved in a particular subject. Reflective thinking, analyzing a situation or critical thoughts are itself an action, and representing it through a medium such as writing, cinema etc and helping it reaching masses is action as well. This helps the viewers, listeners and other audience members to be provoked on that subject and helping them assess as well.
When you say philosophers interpret but the point is to change, you’re talking about two different things action and result through implementation. And I feel bringing to attention a set of problems or your interpretation and thoughts itself an action, by means of reaching out to concerned people.
Hence being a journalist is also being into action so is writing or making cinema.
As far as our team is concerned we are actively involved in interpretation, introspection, critical thinking as well as implementation part of it.