Eva Weingart and Max Weingart, students from Germany, have come here to shoot a video film on the famed Guntur chilli titled Holy Chilli . And on a blistering day when the pungent odour from the bone dry red chilli sends everyone on a coughing spree, the siblings are braving it in the pursuit of their passion.
A student of the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, Eva is doing her masters in Film Production. She has chosen to film a 30-minute crowd funding project, a video documentary on the Guntur chilli which tells about the Indian’s love for spicy food. Eva’s brother Max, who is a furniture designer, is helping her with photography.
Exploring Indian culture
“We in Europe do not use spice in our food and many consider it is unhealthy for the stomach. We decided to explore the spicy food in India, and our search has brought us to Guntur, which is the biggest market in Asia for chilli. We are also exploring the culture of India and its many social strands,’’ Eva told The Hindu on Thursday.
From interacting with farmers on the yard to meeting children in play grounds, and with communities, the duo is seeking to explore the Indian way of life through their lenses.
The duo began shooting on April 10 and plan to wind it off by April 28.
After post-production work over the next few months, they are planning to release the film by November.
Apart from the heat and dust, the duo has been completely astonished at the massive crowds in the towns. A rickety auto ride in the morning had them quivering with fear.
“The auto driver took just 15 minutes to bring us from the city centre to the chilli yard and we just kept jumping up and down!’’ said Max.
