6 months ago
2
After Kanu Behl’s Agra was released successful theatres connected November 14 and the manager took to societal media to item the film’s conflict to get screens successful multiplexes, 46 filmmakers person travel unneurotic to contented a associated connection astir the declining abstraction for accumulation of autarkic films successful the country.
Apart from Kanu, the connection has been signed by acclaimed filmmakers similar Alankrita Shrivastava, Varun Grover, Nandita Das, Payal Kapadia, Vasan Bala, Chaitanya Tamhane, Hardik Mehta, Bhaskar Hazarika, Raam Reddy, Honey Trehan and Ruchi Narain among others. It highlights the problems faced by autarkic filmmakers successful releasing their films adjacent aft getting praised astatine planetary movie festivals similar Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Locarno, Rotterdam, and Busan.
A Joint Statement by India's Independent Filmmakers.
Time to talk up. pic.twitter.com/TP1wUgknSj
The connection noted that the contented is not conscionable astir Agra but the “long-standing systemic pattern” which is affecting autarkic films. It besides questioned OTT platforms for relying connected a film’s theatrical show arsenic a prerequisite for acquisition.
The filmmakers demanded just entree successful presumption of equitable showtimes for their movies, a parity successful OTT acquisition, transparency portion allocating screens and instauration of alternate screening venues for autarkic films.
“We connection this connection with respect, seriousness and urgency. No antagonist, nary blame. Only the corporate request for a healthier system. India’s autarkic films person shaped the mode the satellite sees us. It is clip for america to signifier a strategy wherever our audiences tin spot america too,” the connection work successful the end.
Just a time earlier Agra’s release, Kanu took to societal media to contented a connection that work similar clarion call. He wrote connected X, “We’re being denied shows due to the fact that of the truthful called ‘big blockbusters’ and due to the fact that tiny films ‘don’t acceptable into’ multiplex concatenation programming. It’s up to you the assemblage now! Speak up and tag the chains. Say that you privation to spot the film!”
Agra revolves astir the suffocating confines of a cramped household. The communicative deals with a sexually frustrated young antheral who battles his fractured household and the crushing value of repressed desire.
The film, starring debutant Mohit Agarwal, Priyanka Bose, Rahul Roy and Vibha Chibber, had its premiere astatine the Cannes Film Festival successful 2023. Since then, it has won accolades astatine respective festivals, including Special Jury Award astatine the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Best Indie Film and Best Actor astatine the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Best Film astatine the New York Indian Film Festival.
