My dear friend Tanmay Agarwal has posted a short video that he shot during the FTII Wisdom Tree Festival held in...when, Sur?
Why am I posting what should make no sense to anybody else who's not from the FTII? Because I find myself puzzled. Yes, it brings it all back, these weird, floaty, smoke-induced flows of conversation (mostly inane when you think back). I think I recognise faces - Rajan Khosa, Sudhir Gupta certainly; was that guy in the specs one of my classmates? - and voices. I'm amazed at how typical the snatches of coversation are, how recognisably same the places are, though they've been arranged differently. But it makes me deeply uncomfortable. I feel like I'm watching a favourite performer fuck up big time in public.
And it reminds me once again of why I don't like going back to places where I studied* It was good to have been there. It's better to have left.
*Rishi Valley being the one exception, I suppose.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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4 comments:
I guess it's how you look at it. If I hadn't read your post and just seen the video, I might have thought it quaintly nostalgic.
Then I read your post. And the atmosphere just feels so (and I'm saying with great trepidation)...pretentious.
??! is so right about it seeming pretentious.
the wistree festival was not really like that. yes, there was a lot of hot air floating around, but it was largely- great fun! with some extraordinary films showing back to back. and loads of people one avoided by lurking in shadows.
but going back- its an unnerving experience. i went back to screen my film at the film appreciation. and my first hour was spent in trying to get the production dept to change the projector. they had put up a classroom projector in the archives! and when i insisted/ordered/pleaded they said- surabhi, you understand you are an ex student.
stunning how a place that has such disregard introduced us to the world's best. notwithstanding mixed up reels etc.
but the youtube film mocks- its hardly tongue in cheek.
after seeing annoying films like rock on and jaane tu....i am revisiting nostalgia and its meaning big time.
t's film and this article http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article§id=47&contentid=2008081320080813020633424e56f38b7&pageno=1 has pushed me further.(the author writes about our extended gang incase you did not figure)
nostalgia is a problematic creature.
??!: i'd actually say it's less than pretentious. see below
sur: i can imagine that watching the films would be fun and i'm fairly certain there were at least a few fanstastic films. but it's not just the people one wants to avoid who are the problem. it's that after so many years of doing other stuff, there's no sense amongst so many that what they have to say is crap. i can understand that you talk like that - all tarkovsky and bresson - when you're there. it's the excitement of testing out your ideas about cinema and all that. what's their excuse for continuing to talk like wide-eyed 20-somethings now?
you know what would be a good going back film? where everyone is awkward even with all the booze to untie their tongues, and find that the moment they've said something nostalgic, it's all dross and they'd wish they'd shut up.
sur: and what the heck were you doing up at that time commenting on my blog?! i've chewed my fingers down to the quick - i hope you're feeling sufficiently guilty.
and i read that article...was a bit of a shock to read kartik's name, though i'd met him only twice.
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