Anybody interested in serious cinema writing will surely remember the magazine Deep Focus . After being in hibernation for a little more than three years, it’s been re-launched in a new avatar as Deep Focus Cinema .
If the quarterly magazine’s revival was given a warm reception at the International Film Festival of Kerala at Thiruvananthapuram at the beginning of this month, here’s hoping that the Bangalore International Film Festival 2012 (BIFFES) will give this Bangalore-based production a warmer reception still.
“The major issue with all serious film journals is the inability to sustain monetarily,” says the magazine’s editor Georgekutty A.L., explaining the magazine’s absence since 2008. A friend Sanjay Wadhwa from Mumbai wanted to start a film magazine, and instead he and George decided to collaborate and revive the golden oldie.
Recalling that the magazine was launched in 1998, Georgekutty explains: “In India there have been several attempts at serious film journalism. We wanted to provide a platform for it, and we did succeed.” More than ever, it is now that there is a greater demand for such writing he avers, simply because people are more aware of and interested in such writing, and there are many educational institutions that teach cinema.
“There is a need for this kind of magazine now — there are innumerable film schools today, most universities and colleges have film studies on their curriculum, so we are looking at a good subscription base. The future of the magazine also lies in the film-related advertisements we will bring in.” The magazine’s advisory board includes Girish Kasaravalli, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Govind Nihlani, M.K. Raghavendra, and Manu Chakravarthy, among others.
Deep Focus Cinema is a reincarnation of the original vision of Deep Focus , explains Georgekutty — regional cinemas from across India will feature majorly, with equal concentration on popular cinema too (read Bollywood). “Every issue will cover documentary cinema, and we will also concentrate on animation,” he says. Books on films will be reviewed; plans are afoot to have regular DVD reviews too. They are also making an attempt to upload back issues soon, giving in to popular demand.
The magazine, priced at Rs. 200 per issue, will be available during the ongoing BIFFES 2012 at Garuda Mall, and regularly at Variety Book Stall, Church Street. To subscribe, call 9986926103 or 25493705.
