Sumana Kittur does not believe in numbers, but content. Her body of work is a testimony to her belief. Having started as an associate director and lyricist with Aa Dinagalu, she went on to make her mark as director with films like Slum Bala, Kallara Sante, Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu and Edegarike for which she won the Karanataka State Award.
The director was on the jury for international short films at the recently concluded Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF). She shared the bench with Festival Director, Alejandro Gonzalez, and critic, Diego Faraone.
Sumana, who was also a journalist, talks about the impact of short films, the industry’s patriarchal mindset and more.
Edited excerpts
How has your experience with BISFF been?
I have always loved short films and have a huge respect for short film makers. I have been called a short film ambassador by friends in the film world. There are filmmakers who finish their film course and want to make films. Getting an investor on board, however, is no child’s play. So instead of killing their dreams, these brilliant talents tell a visual story in a compressed form. Short films create a bridge between the maker and cinema. If we looks at our film industry, there are so many directors who have made excellent short films and are now names to reckon with in the long form cinema too.
Anand Varadarajan, the brain behind BISFF deserves a shout out. He started with Suchitra and today has created this amazing platform for short films. While we screened short films earlier at select places earlier, to have a festival dedicated to short films accredited by The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Bengaluru, is all thanks to Anand’s dream. His team also needs to be credited for its wonderful organisational skills.
Are there platforms for short films or do people have to wait for dedicated festivals to view them?
In Karnataka, I feel we do not have ample screens to showcase short films. In Puducherry, however, when you watch a film, either before the main feature or during the interval, short films are screened. I hope to see this culture grow in Karnataka too. We should have more platforms and screens to promote short films here too. That is the way film viewing will also change in the near future. Today, people are impatient will not sit for three hours to watch a film. There is a trend of micro audience, where people look for films that are made in a minute. All they want to know is the theme; nothing more, nothing less.
How easy or difficult is it to tell a story in a minute?
It is a Herculean task. Yet, the films I have watched as a jury member have stumped me. Every story, theme and treatment is unique. The makers have succeeded in sharing a concept in under 15 minutes. For me it is like compressing a 2,000-word article into a 150-word snippet as a writer, which is tough too.
Do you miss journalism?
Of course! That is why I still write. In fact, when people ask me what I do, the first word that comes to mind is journalist and then a filmmaker.
A streaming platform had a short film festival recently. While films from all over the world were streamed, there were none from Karnataka. What do you think is the reason for this?
It is not like we have a dearth of talent. It is marketing and promoting where I see a lacuna. Many are not aware of these last steps in filmmaking. It is a pity as these filmmakers put in a lot of effort into their films using the best equipment and cameras. We need a strong group of patrons for short films. Just one Sumana talking will not make a difference. Makers, actors and producers from mainstream cinema have to promote this medium, only then we can grow collectively. Our stereotypical mindset of thinking only mainstream, full length features has to change. Also, film marketing and promotion should be taught. Talents should know how they can tap into the vast platforms and resources available out there. I plan to start a foundation to promote and showcase short films.
Your thoughts on Women in cinema.
We have many actors, but few women venture into the technical aspects of filmmaking in the Kannada film industry. A woman is ostracised in the industry, which is still patriarchal in its mindset. Even our stories celebrate machismo and a woman is always depicted as a weak personality or one who believes she is a slave to serve her family members. Very few stories depict a woman as a strong personality and a handful that show a woman fighting for her rights. The one person who has portrayed women in a powerful manner, aacording to me, is Siddalingaiah.
