Paltadacho Munis or The Man Beyond the Bridge is an Indian film in Konkani directed by Laxmikant Shetgaonkar. Set in Goa, the film is about a recently widowed forest ranger in a dwindling forest, who strikes up an unlikely relationship with a woman he finds lost and alone in the woods. The film tries to destigmatise mental illness, often equated with being possessed by the devil in rural India.[1]
Paltadacho Munis | |
---|---|
Directed by | Laxmikant Shetgaonkar |
Written by | Mahabaleshwar Sail |
Produced by | NFDC |
Starring | Chittaranjan Giri Vasant Josalkar Prashanti Talpankar Veena Jamkar |
Cinematography | Arup Mandal |
Edited by | Sankalp Meshram |
Music by | Ved Nair |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Konkani |
The film was premiered at 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery.[2] It was chosen as opening film of the Indian Panorama section at the 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2009.[3] Thereafter it went to receive international critical acclaim,[4] including the narrative jury award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.[2] It was included in the world's best films of 2009 list.[5] According to a review, it strikes a perfect balance between the personal and the political. Laxmikant's cinema is rich in metaphors, remarkable in its restrain and exciting in its modern sensibility.[6] The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Konkani at the 57th National Film Awards.[7][8] The film was also nominated for the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award, Berlin.[9]
Shetgaonkar's next film was Baga Beach.
Plot
editVinayak (Chittranjan Giri) is a forest guard who lost his wife to a wild beast. He now lives all by alone in the forest. He then meets a mentally unstable woman (Veena Jamkar). Gradually, the two develop a unique bond. Meanwhile, the local priest and an aspiring politician connive to build a temple on forest land.[10]
Awards
edit- International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery (2009)[10][11]
- Narrative Jury Award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (2010)[12]
- National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Konkani at the 57th National Film Awards[13]
Cast
edit- Chittaranjan Giri as Vinayak
- Veena Jamkar as Mad woman
- Prashanti Talpankar as Lady
- Vasant Josalkar as Priest
- Deepak Amonkar as Forest ranger
References
edit- ^ "Festival 2011: Official selection". Berlin Independent Film Festival. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ a b Lowe, Justin (14 October 2010). "The Man Beyond the Bridge: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "List of films for IFFI's Indian Panorama announced". Deccan Herald. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Laxmikant Shetgaonkar's next venture is 'Baga Beach'". The Hindu. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "The Man Beyond the Bridge to release in Canada". DearCinema.com. 12 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Review - IFFI- 2009 Diary: The Man Beyond the Bridge". DearCinema.com. 30 November 2009. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "57th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ "57th National Film Awards (PDF)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ "Paltadcho Munis for NETPAC award in Berlin". Goa News. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ a b Chatte, Sachin (16 November 2018). "That one from Goa". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Malkarnekar, Gauree (27 November 2016). "Espousing the cause of the Konkani film industry". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Paltadacho Munis wins best film award at Los Angeles". Goa News. 27 April 2010.
- ^ "'Paltadcho Munis' bags national award in Konkani". Goa News. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
External links
edit- Official website
- "The Man Beyond the Bridge". Cinemas of India (NFDC). Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- Paltadacho Munis at IMDb