Primary goal of restoration should be enhancing the film while preserving its artistic integrity: Theodore E. Gluck

Filmmakers today are faced with the ever evolving reality of securely archiving their film or file based productions, digitally. A Masterclass session on ‘Digital Motion Picture Preservation’ was held today at the 54th International Film Festival of India, Goa deliberating on this topic. The Masterclass, led by veteran film restoration expert and film historian, Theodore E. Gluck, aimed at emphasising the efforts of the ‘Academy Digital Preservation Forum’ in preserving the motion picture in digital format. It is an initiative of the Science and Technology Council under the ‘Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.’

In his address, Theodore E. Gluck underlined the delicate balance to be followed by restoration professionals in not harming the aesthetics of the original work. “The challenge lies in meeting the demand for digital preservation while preserving the artistic integrity and intent of the original work. The primary goal should be to enhance the film rather than altering it,” he added. He also underscored the importance of respecting the original artistic intent of the filmmakers in any restoration project.

One of the key takeaways from the Master class was the substantial cost associated with restoration and preservation. “The expense depends on what you are trying to accomplish through the restoration project,” he explained. Theodore also acknowledged the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in the future of film preservation, while underscoring the irreplaceable significance of human intervention.

Responding to queries about the security of digitisation, Theodore assured the audience that solutions for secure encrypted storage for the digitised film content are readily available.

Director Mridul Gupta, writer Manimala Das and producer Dhaniram Tisso of the Karbi feature film Mirbeen joined for a candid media interaction on the sidelines of the 54th International Film festival of India (IFFI), Goa today.

Mirbeen is an authentic portrayal of the 2005 extremist strife that engulfed Karbi Anglong. Our film is a story about truth and facts, said Director Mridul Gupta.

Talking about the depiction of roots in the film writer Manimala Das said that roots are used throughout the film in many shots giving a strong symbolic arch to the storyline – where people are sustaining attacks to their very roots yet still emerging with resilience.

Manimala Das added that the music in the film is truly organic using only traditional Karbi tunes. “We hope audiences can empathise with Karbi through our film and feel the struggle of Karbi,” said writer Manimala Das.

Manimala Das spoke about the role of handloom in the movie. Textile often proved to be the way of recovery and redemption for the people caught in conflict in Assam. Mirbeen too draws inspiration from her childhood tales of Serdihun – the elusive Goddess of textile in Karbi tribal beliefs. She is instilled with new give hope and purpose as she comes out victorious.

Speaking about selection of the movie Producer Dhanoram Tisso said “As a film-maker it is my duty to bring awareness, to tell the story of how people rose from ashes and bloomed out of the shadows of a gloomy past.

Representing the vibrant and dynamic Assamese cinema, the feature Mirbeen, is one of the 15 exceptional films competing for the prestigious Golden Peacock at IFFI 54 and was screened under Indian Panorama section at the festival.

Mirbeen is a compelling tale of hope and resilience. The story follows the life of its central protagonist, Mirbeen, as she fiercely holds on to her dream in the face of relentless adversity. In her struggle, she becomes the embodiment of the Karbi people reflecting their pain and their dauntless spirit.

A captivating In-Conversation session with the Hindi film actress, Rani Mukerji, exploring the theme of ‘Delivering Compelling Performances’ was held at 54^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa today. Moderated by Baradwaj Rangan, Editor-in-Chief of Galatta Plus and a National Award-winning Film Critic, the freewheeling discussion delved into Mukerji’s life and illustrious career.

Reflecting on her cinematic journey, Rani said that she always tried to portray Indian women as strong characters. “Outside India, films and their characters are viewed as windows towards our Indian culture.”

Emphasizing the importance of commitment to one’s craft, the accomplished actress asserted, “It is important to always stand by strong films and roles. Sometimes you might not get the audience’s approval at that period of time. But in the history of cinema, such films and characters will find a place.”

Rani Mukerji also highlighted the significance of versatility for an actor. Elaborating on its significance, she said, “If an actor is versatile, they can portray different facets of life. The more diverse I can make my characters, it will be more interesting for the audience and me. This diversity in characters also inspires me.”

Delving into the intricacies of character portrayal, Rani shared, “For doing particular roles, actors often meet real-life people to get their physical characteristics right. But it is also important to know what all emotions they are going through. What distinguishes a scene in a film is the emotions behind the scene. It is important to portray the emotions for it to reach the audience’s heart.”

On the topic of ageism in the film industry, the renowned actress opined that actors need to acknowledge their age and accept roles that suit their age for the audience to receive them. She added that the audience helped her to break ageism and other barriers in the film industry.

Sharing her personal reflection, Rani remarked, “I don’t give much importance to the age factor and tried to do justice to my characters. Fifty percent of your battle of making people believe in the character is won if you look like the character.”

While expressing contentment with her journey, the celebrated actress revealed that she never regret doing any characters in her cinema life. “But it was unfortunate that I couldn’t be part of Aamir Khan’s first production venture film ‘Lagaan‘ due to a date clash,” she added.

From ‘Tina Malhotra’ in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to ‘Maya Talwar’ in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and ‘Debika Chatterjee’ in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, Rani Mukerji has enthralled the audience with hundreds of beautiful characters. On the question of her favourite character that she has played, she revealed that the character in the film ‘Black’ is closest to her heart, illuminating that the character transformed her and helped her to be a better human being. “The character of ‘Michelle McNally’ in Black inspired and challenged me at the same time. The character in ‘Mehndi‘ also empowered me.”