A short film produced in Auroville under a Masterclass series, led by top cinema professionals, has been selected for screening at the fourth South Asian Short Film Festival 2021, scheduled to begin in Kolkata in mid-November.
Coda, directed by Sudipto Acharyya, was put together during a month-long masterclass session held by the Auroville Film Institute in December-January 2020-21. The teaching-mentoring sessions were led by a faculty of industry professionals.
The film (English/fiction category) has been selected in the competition section of the festival scheduled to be held at Nandan, Kolkata, from November 15 to 22.
The 10-minute film revolves around its musician-protagonist Andrei, a Londoner, who is attracted to the work-life philosophy of Auroville.
Andrei, who has been teaching music to young children in Auroville for many years, loves his work and time in the experimental township.
However, the day comes when Andrei’s wife and son come from London and want him to go back with them as he has been given a respectable position in a conservatory there. Andrei is forced to take a decision against his wish. He goes out to teach his students for one last time and loses his way in the woods. His students find him, and they improvise a music class in the woods.
The film closes with Andrei breaking down as the music reaches a crescendo.
“Considering that we are now just winding down a masterclass in Ladakh, the news of a film we made during a similar session at Auroville last year comes as a sweet surprise,” said Richa Hushing, filmmaker and co-director of Auroville Film Institute-Auroville Timelines.
She, along with Rrivu Laha, were the executive producers of Coda . The other collaborators were Shanti Bhushan Roy (cinematographer), Amitabh Chakraborty (editor), Madhu Apsara (sound design) and Dawn Vincent (sound recordist).
