Fireflies in the Abyss had its world premiere at Busan International Film Festival, 2015 and India premier at Mumbai International Film Festival, 2016. It won the Golden Conch award for Best Documentary Feature film and the Best Cinematography in the National Competition category. The film was also part of the Market section of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Film maker Chandrasekhar Reddy is an independent producer/director, having extensive experience in a variety of documentary formats –factual, developmental and environmental.
His film Fireflies.. was the only docu-feature from India selected at the prestigious Hot Docs, Canadian International Documentary Festival held early this year. The 88-minute feature captures the dream of an 11-year-old boy who fights his way out of life in the rat-hole coal mines, to put himself in school.
Tell us about yourself. When did you pick the camera and what prompted you to pursue this profession?
I’ve grown up having an interest in cinema from quite early and had exposure to world cinema during the VHS days when I was in my early teens. Of course, my intention of going to the film institute was never realised and so I began working in the Bombay industry and have trained and picked up on the job, while working in films, advertising and television. Prior to doing this film I was an independent producer/director making documentaries for BBC, National Geographic and Discovery. But like many things that I do – I’ve been a largely self-taught person.
What prompted you to make ‘Fireflies in the Abyss’?
From discovering the subject of the film to it growing in scope at every stage – I didn’t actually set out with a definite plan to make a documentary feature that I wanted to release theatrically. I discovered the subject on a visit to Meghalaya and was struck by the dynamics of a coal mining boomtown. It was a fascinating to see that it was a reflection of the broader world in a small dusty town that had become the epicentre of illegal coalmining.
Of course the main inspiration and my obsession to engage with the subject happened when I met Suraj, an 11-year-old boy who had been born to Nepali immigrants in the mining area. He was a bright and spunky boy, with an engaging mix of street smarts and boyhood innocence. Following his story was a way into the different aspects of the coal mining story as well. The primary question for me was, ‘What is the kind of world we have created for a boy like him and how is he going to navigate his way through this chaos?’ I think I found my answers after following his life over the last 4 years. And this experience is what I have faithfully tried to convey through the film.
How did you decide on your characters for ‘Fireflies…’
When I decided to shoot in the mining area, it was very clear from the beginning that it would be a story of individual lives and not one of reportage and a collection of talking heads - so casting for the film was important. While finding the right people and story was critical, there was a challenge beyond this considering I needed a safe situation in the mines and access to the people over an extended period of time. Taking a camera into the mining area was not something that would be welcome.
As a result, there were several situations and people with whom I began and had to abandon, since I asked not to film. But even after I found Suraj and was very sure I wanted to make it work, whatever it took, there was always uncertainty about how long I would be able to carry on shooting. So I did choose to shoot with Suraj and ensured it was safe enough to do so – but many of the other stories are what the circumstances presented.
In the movie you have filmed Suraj and his family from close quarters. How did you manage to gain their trust?
In the mining area, most people are immigrants and there is a transient nature to social relations – every one is really a stranger to one another. I was just another stranger, but a curious one with a camera. So while they let me in, the process of building trust was a long and patient process.
This included living with them in their shacks, eating and drinking with them, being part of their late night gambling sessions even, and of course most importantly, going down with them into the mines.
I think people sense your intent when you engage in that kind of way and gradually are willing to let you into their lives.
You have shot inside the coal mines, how did you manage to get inside? Was it scary?
It was very scary and I remember the first time I had to walk down one of those creaky bamboo stairs and go into the ‘rat holes’ – still gives me a shiver when I think back. But there was no looking back. If I hadn’t done it, not only would I have not got the footage (which is gold dust for a docu filmmaker), but I couldn’t have broken the ice with the miners. However, by the end of my stay there I had actually begun to enjoy it in a way – almost like being in a sense-depravation chamber. But most important of all, when you see it in the film I think it is meant to give you a glimpse of what the miners have to endure on a daily basis.
What do you think of the quality of life these people lead?
There are many fascinating aspects to their lives. I went in with a certain notion of what it would be like, but the important thing was, I was forced to question my own assumptions about many things through the process of shooting the film. One of the first things that struck me was the fact that in spite of the conditions and their circumstances, they never expressed any perceived sense of injustice, or self-pity, but seemed to approach things with a pragmatic and uncomplaining spirit. It was only much later that I realized that the basis of their lives was not limited to a material/ monetary evaluation of their existence. That is also what seemed to give them the solidarity, equanimity and generosity. This was particularly an important aspect in regard to how people see themselves and more significantly how stories from the ‘developing world’ are carried across to the ‘developed world’. Most stories that travel this divide, only reinforce preconceived notions of poverty and ‘third world’ conditions. Therefore, one of the intents through the film has been to look at the agency, self-determination and hopes of the less fortunate and possibly offer something for the more fortunate amongst us to reflect upon.
What are the accolades won by the film so far?
The film got its premiere at the Busan Film Festival, which is a prestigious destination for Asian cinema and the rest of the world watches for emerging Asian films – that was a tremendous platform to start on. And then the film was also the only doc-feature from India at Hotdocs, which is the most important North American Documentary Festival. It was great to share an Indian film with the audiences there and got a very enthusiastic reception. It is heartening to see that all kinds of audience connect with the film.
And of course it has been tremendous to receive the Best Film award and the Best Camera award in the National competition at the Mumbai International Film Festival and more recently the Best Long Documentary award at the IDSFFK 2016, in Thiruvanthapuram.
