As the novel coronavirus pandemic caught the world off-guard, movie making took a toll that is immeasurable in terms of loss to business, art and craft. Now, while shooting and other entertainment related activities resume cautiously in a phased manner, all eyes will be on how filmmakers adapt to the newly designed production and exhibition guidelines, keeping in mind safety and protection of their workers against the deadly Covid-19.
Interestingly, ever since coronavirus reached India and it became clear somewhere during mid-March that production and exhibition of movies will have to be halted with immediate effect, regular news headlines featured stars’ movies being postponed or extensive debates on how OTT was the new avenue for directors and producers to invest in. Discussions also ventured into the TV space, as many shows were announced to be taken off-air amid the lockdown — Naagin 4 and Beyhadh 2 being the prominent ones.
However, what got sidelined entirely during this crisis was independent filmmaking and how directors and producers who were invested in the spirit of parallel, non-commercial cinema would cope and secure funds for their next ventures amid the virus shutting down international film festivals, their only source of recognition, street credibility and perhaps livelihood.
In order to better understand the nuances that connect indie filmmaking with traditional film festivals and how the two help sustain each other while creating a separate ecosystem of movie business, News18 got in touch with Rima Das (Village Rockstars, Bulbul Can Sing), Bhaskar Hazarika (Aamis, Kothanodi) and Devashish Makhija (Ajji, Bhosle), who shed light, while debating among themselves, on the significance of changes to the festival calendar on their respective career ambitions.
Online vs Traditional mode of film festivals
Giving an instance of how his award-winning movie Aamis was showcased in Texas, USA amid the ongoing pandemic via a digital film festival, which later led to his Zoom interaction with the audience there, Bhaskar says, “What people need is to see your film and not you. So the online model that some of these film festivals have been taking to is a much cost effective and environment friendly way of organising. In a post Covid-19 world, unless and until it is absolutely essential, one cannot step out of the house and that will be the mindset of people across sectors and not just filmmaking. So from my perspective it (online mode) is not a problem as long as people see the film.”
Disagreeing with Bhaskar’s point of view, Devashish says, “The kinds of films that I make and the system that I rely on to find an audience and henceforth maybe to get a release is through a film festival. Without film festivals, my films don’t survive. I am directly affected by the fact that film festivals till early next year will not have offline versions. When they go online, there is no concept then of a sales agent or a distributor or any of those platforms in Europe, US or India that want to procure films that win awards at festivals. In the absence of all of that, what am I making independent films for? If they are going to be consumed almost for free online, I might as well not make them.”
Rima, who does not have a film this year but was jury member at the Berlin Film Festival at Generation section, takes a mid-path and adds, “Films that premiered at Berlinale are now stuck and I feel really sad for these films that are not having a journey and are not travelling anymore. Those who had made their movies are totally confused right now. Although they are going online, but you cannot be happy about it. But, at the same time, going online is also a good idea because we do not have other options right now. The festivals are taking this decision to connect with the audience and they are doing their best.”
Where will parallel cinema go and which audience will watch it?
About the underlying spirit of indie filmmaking getting affected with shutting down of film festivals, Rima says, “I don’t think the spirit is dying. It is just this year will be a bit difficult. We are not thinking that we will be in lockdown forever or film festivals will not happen anymore. Only creatively challenging idea will be that after lockdown everyone will go through a mental simulation so that might affect my motive behind writing a story in terms of its relevance in the coming times.”
Bhaskar says that audience for a film has just shifted from cinemas to inside our homes. “When you make an off beat film, you want an audience to see it. More people see it, more are the chances of making a sale on the film. Its just that people are watching the film festival from their homes like they watch Netflix,” he says.
Devashish explains the problem with home viewing by adding, “Eyeballs in an online film festival does not translate into my financiers making their money back and if they can’t make their little bit of money back, they don’t make a second film and in turn, I wait another 3-7 years to make a feature film. So if I don’t get to make those films, how can I talk about eyeballs when I haven’t even made the film to get those eyeballs. With online festivals, there is no chance that they will make their money back. Now, onus is on me to recalibrate the kinds of films I make.”
Festival environment
Bhaskar says, “Networking or meeting field agents can happen online because physically travelling is no longer an option. As we enter the new world, we will discover new ways of getting around. Whenever there is a break from tradition it takes time for people to adjust. Travelling for a film festival is a non-essential thing especially in the new world.”
Rima has a counter argument for this as she says, “When your vision as a filmmaker is for the big screen, then definitely at the psychological level people are suffering. It’s a totally different feeling, vibe and energy at a festival premiere. They like to celebrate moments– your first audience, screening, red carpet moments etc. So with film festivals not happening its certainly a tough time. People come together and lots of discussions happen at the gathering.”
Along similar lines as Rima, Devashish adds, “A film festival throws an award your way. They write a few reviews and give you two-three packed houses in a big festival, which adds to your energy and some money to make another film. If you don’t have an offline, real interaction and you don’t find a distribution agent then that whole system collapses. And if I can’t tell my independent financier that I making this film for this section of the audience, why will he give me money to make another film.”
How exhibition and distribution of indie films is affected vis a vis OTT and theatrical business
Bhaskar says, “Once I get festival buzz, I get theatrical release. That is what the model is for any independent filmmaker. I think, there is not going to be a release for a long time because theaters will be shut and a release does not make any sense because they (indie movies) rarely make money. So its not a big loss for us. Now, what is exciting is that OTTs do not function like that. They put value to the content so conversely indie filmmakers maybe making more money though OTTs than they would have with a theatrical release.”
He adds, “There are lot of online platforms. Right now if you google search there are chances that one platform will be showcasing your film. So for every Netflix, there are 10 indie OTT platforms coming up. There will always be an alternative platform for a theatrical business.”
Summing his dilemma with OTT and theater release, Devashish says, “My films barely make it to an Amazon or Netflix. So with film festivals suffering I am directly affected.” He also gives example of his movie Bhosle, which has travelled almost one-and-a-half years in the festival circuit, stressing on the fact that no streaming platform is willing to acquire it now saying, it’s not an ‘entertaining film’. He adds, “Despite lockdown, platforms have been turning it down because it is not a film that they think people will ‘enjoy’ watching.”
Rima further explains that OTT space is already shrinking and in such a case it will be difficult for indie movies to gain audience. “Financial factor is a significant thing. Bollywood movies too are coming to OTTs and that is a big challenge.”
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