The renowned artist and ceramic sculpturist of Israel Frida Steinberger said that paintings and sculptures hide a song in their depth and most of the time it remains embedded in shapes, forms, geometrics, lines and colours on the ceramics, stones and canvas. She along with six other artists from Israel were holding a workshop in art and culture at Asian Academy of Film & Television. Describing Israel as a country of immigrants, the curator of Israel’s International Artists’ Museum and a theatre artist mentioned that 4000 years of Jewish heritage and 50 years of modern statehood have contributed to the distinct culture of Israel. Director of Asian Academy of Film & Television Sandeep Marwah pointed out that paintings indeed help the filmmakers to understand how to make their screen presentations a treat for the eyes. He disclosed that a film on Indo-Israeli art will be produced by this group under the banner of Marwah Films & Video Production. Uri Daniel De Beer, Norma Drimmer, Jacob Hai MacMillan, Sully B. Wolff and Rajul Mehta of Indian descent were also in the group. On this occasion Doron Polak was made the life member of the International Film & Television Club.
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PROF.MARWAH WITH TWO FIRST FORMER CITIZENS OF INDIA
Vice Chancellor of the University of Media Arts (UMA), the first film university of India recently had a unique privilege of sharing various activities of the university with the two former first citizens of the country, Hon’ble Shri Narayanan and Hon’ble Shri R Venkat Raman in the capital.
While Shri Narayanan is already a patron of the University of Media Arts, Prof.Marwah took opportunities to request Shri Venkat Raman also to become is parton, which the latter gladly acceded to.
MODERN FILMMAKER IS PRODUCT OF A FILM SCHOOL – AMITANSHU DAS
Former director of the world renowned Tisch School of the Arts, New York University Amitanshu Das asserted that learning relevant skills is necessary before embarking on filmmaking or television production work. He was invited to Asian Academy of Film & Television by its director Sandeep Marwah. After going through the courseware for various training programmes being offered by the academy and interacting with the student the American academic of Indian origin mentioned that it is no wonder that Asian Academy of Film & Television is the preferred destination of the nationals of many countries of the world. Prof. Das assured of his full support to the film school. Later Prof. Amitanshu Das who is currently the Director, School of Education University of Pennsylvania accepted the life membership of International Film & Television Research Centre of the academy
COMMERCIALISATION IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF DECLINE OF THE STANDARD OF HINDI FILMS : SAYS OM PURI
Talking informally to the students of Asian Academy of Film & Television, Film City, popular film actor Om Puri said that 1950-1970 can be described as the golden era of Hindi films because the film producers respected talented and creative artistes. Thereafter, the filmmaking slipped into the hands of people who are merely interested in making the fast buck. Another reasons for the decline of quality of Hindi film is the lack of direction from the policy makers and the national leaders. He said that whereas the commercial aspect of filmmaking is important, creativity should not be relegated to the back seat. He said that demand from the viewers alone will compel the producers to make good films. He admitted that the themes of most of present day Hindi films are frivolous and flippant. Conceding that entertainment is the integral part of life, he said that nothing should be done in the name entertainment to hurt the sentiments of an individual or a section of the society. He said that films should not be blamed for the evils prevailing in the society. Ranking Anil Kapoor and Aamir Khan amongst the best actors of the decade he said that hard work is the secret of success of these talented artistes. Om Puri disclosed that Pukar, Bollywood calling Hera-Pheru, Guru-Mahaguru are amongst some of the films in which he is currently acting. Later discussing the course conducted at the academy with Director AAFT Prof. Sandeep Marwah, the actor desired that the producer/director should be told that the script is all important in the production of films & television programming and that they must learn script writing work very well.
Malaysian Film Actress in Noida Film City
Charming and talented maker of contemporary Malay films Erma Fatima who has brought her path-breaking film “The Last Malay Woman” for screening at the thirty-first international film festival of India currently being held at the Siri Fort in New Delhi, went out of her way to accept the request of Prof.; Sandeep Marwah of spend sometime with the students of the Asian Academy of Film & Television and to have a feel of the film shooting facility at the fast growing
Sandeep Marwah & Erma Fatima
Film City of North India. Answering questions from the students she said that she tries to give an identity to the malay cultural ethos and the society through her work. She mentioned that about ten films are being produced annually in Malaysia. Erma Fatima said that Malay movies are more akin to the Asian rather than the western ones and that Indian films are very popular in Malaysia. She said that although Malaya films are devoid of songs and dances, her countrymen enjoy such sequences in the Indian movies. Students were amused to hear her mention that ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Dil-Se’ and ‘Bandit Queen’ are amongst the recent Hindi films she liked very much. She was all praise for the cinematic expressions of Mani Ratnam. Erma Fatima said that after brief acting career, she joined the film school in the neighbouring Indonesia to learn the art & craft of film making and admitted that the knowledge and skill of acting have stood her in good stead while directing films. She mentioned that a creative person should have an unsatiable desire to express himself or herself better and that her best film will always be the “next one”. Concluding the meeting Erma Fatima wished good luck to the students and expressed her desire to shoot a part of her next film in the Noida, Film City and hoped that she will comeback to Marwah Studios and the academy in the near future.
STELEVISION IS A SOCIAL SERVICE TOO – MADHAV KANT MISHRA
Analyzing the contemporary television scene in India, the veteran journalist and intellectual Madhav Kant Mishra said that rank commercialization has distorted this powerful medium of mass communication. He was delivering the valedictory at Asian Academy of Film & Television. Single minded devotion, a strong will to succeed and self reliance and important to achieving the desired goal in life, he added. Prof. Sandeep Marwah mentioned on this occasion that the fiftieth golden jubilee session of this thirteen year old academy is stated to commence in the first week of January 2006. Addressing the gathering, the former Indian ambassador to many countries B.P. Agarwal said that socially responsible makers of the media products must ensure that in their work the baser emotions of the people are kept under check and they are shielded from unethical temptations. Another speaker the well known social worker of the national capital region A.C. Peter urged the outgoing students to keep in mind that they have to help the humanity while doing their professional work.
AMERICAN FILM DIRECTOR AT ASIAN ACADEMY OF FILM & TELEVISION
The Embassy of the USA selected Asian Academy of Film & Television for showcasing the film of the renowned American film director Aviva Kempner who is currently visiting India as a Cultural Ambassador. Thanking Prof. Sandeep Marwah for arranging interaction of Aviva Kempner with the film and television professionals in the making, S Tovan McDaniel of said that the Embassy of the USA is looking forward to working with the academy in future as well. After the screening of her highly acclaimed documentary ‘The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg’ Aviva Kempner answered a number of questions about the film, her experiences and film that she has directed and the documentary filmmaking scene in the USA. This unique documentary film is a biographical sketch of the ace baseball player Hank Greenberg.
INDIAN MOVIES ARE POPULAR IN TURKMENISTAN
Speaking at the function held at Asian Academy of Film & Television to formally release the documentary ‘The Chord of Friendship’ produced and directed by Gulshan Dang. The former member of parliament, follower of Mahatma Gandhi & Vinoba Bhave and the President of Indo-Turkmenistan Forum, Ms. Nirmala Deshpande asked the students to make use of the power of films to bring the people of the world closer together and for spreading the message of peaceful co-existence.
She mentioned that Indian films and film stars are extremely popular in Turkmenistan. Describing Gulshan Dang – an alumnus of AAFT – as a talented and promising filmmaker, Prof. Sandeep Marwah said that his latest documentary film is indeed a piece of professional work. In her brief address the cultural counselor, Embassy of Turkmenistan, Dr. Tchinar Rustamova recalled 800 years old relations between India and her country. She mentioned that the renowned poet Abdur Rahim Khankhana was the son of great Turkmen statesman, warrior and mentor of mughul emperor Akbar – Bairam Khan. She diseclosed that Gulshan Dang’s documentary has been supported by Indo-Turkmenistan Forum as part of the ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bairam Khan. She thanked the government and people of India for allowing her country to access the Indian archives for valuable historical facts about Turkmenistan. Sharing his thoughts with the students, the former Indian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Dr. Virendra Verma said that love is god’s gift to mankind and that the spirit of mutual love and respect has to be inculcated. He advised the students to be honest, truthful, hardworking and to avoid attempting short cuts to success. Dr. Sharma mentioned that Gulshan Dang’s documentary is indeed the proof of effectiveness of the education and training being imparted at AAFT.
AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY MAKER IN FILM CITY
The Australian documentary film producer – director of Indian Origin Mr. Satish Rai who is in India in connection with the shooting of a documentary film on Indians settled overseas was in Asian Academy of Film & Television. He was in the Noida Film City after completing his work in Gorakhpur and Ghaziabad districts. Ms.Asha Singh a senator from Fiji Island who is playing an important role in documentary ,accompained the producer – director.While welcoming the guests ,the director of
Sandeep Marwah & Australian documentary film producer – director of Indian Origin Mr. Satish Rai
AAFT,Sandeep Marwah asked the students to keep the international viewers in mind while making films in the time to come .Describing the film language as universal,Ms. Asha Singh said that Indian movies are extremely popular even amongst those of her countrymen who do not understand Hindi.Answering complex questions relating to Film making ,the versatile film maker from Australia said that the story is all important to a film.He mentioned that only 20-25 films are produced annually in his country. Mr. Satish Rai was hopeful that Indian films will soon become popular in Australia too. Both Ms.Asha Singh and Mr. Satish Rai accepted the membership of the International Film & television Research Centre and Promised to extend their patronage to Asian Academy of Film & Television.
AAFT ALUMNI MAKES WORLD RECORD
A 111-minute record-breaking episode of CID on Sony has it all and more.The feat gained it entry into the Limca Book of Records, an acknowledgment by the Guinness Book of world records and an entry into the Berlin film festival; the film was shot in DV cam that enables it for theatre release as well. It is now officially the longest ever single shoot in fiction in TV or film format.