Everyone is a filmmaker at heart is the central theme of Cinema Bandi
The film is a heartfelt tribute to independent cinema: Rajesh Nidimoru
Posted On:
28 NOV 2022 5:02PM by PIB Mumbai
#IFFIWood, 28 November 2022
Catching up with the run for unique concepts and storyline in Indian cinema- ‘Cinema Bandi’ a comedy drama by Director Praveen Kandregula will keep you hooked to the heart-warming tale of the journey from an auto driver to cinemawalla.
‘Every aspect of this film is raw, right from writing the script to pitching the idea to producer, then to find the actors and venues etc.’ said Rajesh Nidimoru, Producer of the film Cinema Bandi , while addressing one of the IFFI Table Talks Session conducted by PIB at the 53rd Edition of IFFI today.
A humour, deeply rooted in reality, the film premiered on Netfilx have been no.1 trending for two weeks. Producer Rajesh Nidimoru explained that the sole reason for doing this film without a proper studio and known actors is its authentic story and acting. ‘The film is a heartfelt tribute to independent cinema, usually made with all heart. I wanted to relive the independent beginnings of our careers and to experience the first emotion again’, he said. The producer also asserted that the film would have really made a good entertaining movie but the rawness and authenticity is what made it unique. Rajesh Nidimoru also highlighted that the forum IFFI creates for the filmmakers to interact with other filmmakers and pitch their ideas is absolutely the best possible setting in the country.
Everyone is a filmmaker at heart and anyone can make a film if they put their will to it, the makers try to tell us. ‘By taking personal inspiration from my childhood when my father gave me a camera, I wanted to do something with that. Hence the idea caught me for making this film’, said Director Praveen Kandregula. The actors in the film didn’t act but they lived those characters. In order to get the real expressions, we kept the camera setup hidden, he added.
The raw and rustic portrayal of the characters will leave the audience grinning and the film has been shot in Mulbagal Taluk village in Karnataka. Explaining to that, screenplay writer, Vasant Maringanti said the village was isolated and clean with only 20-25 houses. Which was like a movie set for us. The environment was very comfortable for us to shoot and is apt for the story.
Synopsis: A poor and struggling auto driver Veerababu chances upon an expensive camera left behind in his auto in the village. The sole wedding photographer of the village, Ganapati tells him that this is exactly the camera that is used to make blockbuster movies of superstars. The enterprising Veerababu then decides to make a blockbuster film with the ‘superstar’ camera, the photographer to assist and cast the whole village in his film. Thus, begins the journey from autowalla to cinemawalla.
All of the fans of the “Mirzapur” web series are unaware of the true nature of the city. Throughout the series, we all developed a mental image and scenario of a city filled with day-to-day crime. But it’s more than that; the city has produced a slew of leaders, actors, and well-known public figures from other fields, which few people are aware of distinguishing between the reel and real Mirzapur, Indian film directors Vishal Yoman and Ayushi Anand launched “Mirzapur Official,” a dedicated platform giving insights into the city from breaking to infotainment.
What started with a Facebook community page now has more than 200k followers which include people from all around the country. Mirzapur Official delivers reliable and accurate information as well as solutions. Since its beginning, they have addressed a variety of issues and launched several campaigns that have been favorably appreciated by the public and recognized by the government. They are continuously running campaigns and coming up with innovative ways to make the most of the platform.
Being Bollywood fanatics, both the founders have decided to launch their new platform “Cinemchi,” under the label Kalpanik Films. The name of the portal describes itself, it is a platform for all the people out there who have immense love for cinema. The portal will be dedicated to all the Bollywood news & gossip apart from that it is an initiative to bring regional cinema into the picture. At the times when mainstream Bollywood is part of our daily conversation, we often forget to talk about regional cinemas where many films have been nominated for Oscar. Keeping all the factors the platform will be live soon and people can get a daily dose of entertainment from “Cinemchi.”
Being associated with the Bollywood industry, Vishal Yoman and Ayushi Anand have worked on various projects that have gained a positive response from the audience. Working as a team they have done projects like music videos, “Tera Ghata,” “Mera Jahan,” “Holi Mein Rangeele,” “Bollywood Wala Dance” with the labels T-Series, SKF, The Satish Kaushik Entertainment, Zee Music, Gaana, Tips, Pen, Venus & many more. Both business partners operate Kalpanik Films, a creative digital agency through which they have collaborated with several well-known B-town celebrities.
Mirzapur Official is owned by Kalpanik Films LLP and its journey started in September 2014 with a Facebook community page and over time they have a fan base of 2,00,000+ followers on Facebook while their monthly readership is more than 29 Million. Looking at their credibility 19,000 + members are joined on their Facebook group, 48000+ members on WhatsApp Group, and 16,000+ followers on Instagram.
For Filmmaker and Creator Alyscia Cunningham, filmmaking has allowed her to share powerful stories through the lens of a Caribbean American woman. To celebrate National Women’s History Month, Cunningham will launch, “Let’s Talk BIPOC Women Creatives in Film,” a self-renowned project to teach BIPOC female filmmakers the ropes to funding their ideas for filmmaking projects. Beginning March 2, Cunningham will open registration for interested individuals to participate in a one-hour virtual introduction to funding film projects.
Cunningham has a long history of successfully navigating the film industry with over eight years of experience earning over $70,000 in funding. Cunningham used the funding to create her award-winning project, “I Am More Than My Hair,” which has been featured in HuffPost and Forbes, just to name a few. The project required an approximate $40,000 to execute. Thanks to funding resources like, IFundWomen of Color, American Express, and Women In Film and Television, Cunningham was able to place her film in over 20 film festivals, ultimately landing her project in a six-month solo exhibition inside of a Maryland museum.
“Because we’re in a new year, I wanted to use this time to help other creatives introduce new ideas to the film industry,” said Cunningham, “this project will help more creatives understand that they don’t have to have a ton of money to tell powerful stories, and how important it is to continually lend their talents to the culture of the film industry.”
To date, there are less than eight percent of BIPOC filmmakers, according to McKinsey and Company. Research shows that the barriers of BIPOC talent in film and television equate to economic fallout and are currently facing a lack of solutions for creating a more equitable, and inclusive workspace. About 92% of the film industry is led by 92 percent white film executives. On average, an independent film production cost over $250,000.
Cunningham has a passion for changing the narrative and wants to start by helping other BIPOC women access funding for their own film projects. The primary focus of the event will teach participants how to position their brands to access multiple forms of funding as a filmmaker. This will include how to obtain 501(c)(3) status through fiscal sponsorship, crowdfunding, fundraisers, and grants. The project is currently running as a pilot to gain interest in further details to successfully navigate the film industry’s landscape. For those who are interested, registration is currently open and can be found by visiting the “Events” page on Cunningham’s website www.alyscia.com.
The event is scheduled to begin on March 31 at 12:00 pm until 1:00 pm. For more information, email nfo@alyscia.com or visit www.alyscia.com.
Her House Media Alyscia Cunningham 301-244-9658 www.herhousemedia.com
Kamali Culpepper, of Lady K Productions has won six prestigious Awards of Recognition from three sister competitions: The Best Shorts Film Competition, The Accolade Global Film Competition, and The IndieFEST Film Awards. She also won Best Trailer at the Europe Film Festival U.K.
The awards were given for Kamali Culpepper’s exciting mystery and sci-fi movie trailer, Melatonin, which she hopes to turn into a tv series. Melatonin is about a college student who takes mysterious pills to help her sleep, but she ends up with unexpected side effects. It was filmed at the University of Tampa while Kamali was a student. She wrote, directed, and edited the web series turned trailer. Kamali stated, “It’s amazing to be recognized by many different film competitions. It’s my first time entering a project into film festivals so it’s awesome that just like that, I’m an award-winning independent filmmaker. I will now write a pilot episode for Melatonin and pitch it.”
Alyssa Mitchell played the main character, Olivia, and she stated, “I was fascinated by the script. It was different and had a story that could go anywhere.”
Andrea Wakefield played the best friend, Ava, and she stated, “It was a pleasure to be a part of such a special project and to be recognized for all the hard work.”
Gina Tarrou played the FBI agent, Catherine, and she stated, “Melatonin was such a creative storyline. I’m so glad Kamali is being recognized for her work! She deserves it.”
These sister competitions recognize film, television, videography, and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. In winning these awards, Kamali Culpepper joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award including Academy Award winner Mr. Hublot from Laurent Witz and 2021 Academy Award winner “If Anything Happens I Love You” by Laura Dern, Will McCormack and Michael Govier.
Europe Film Festival U.K. (EFFUK) is a reputable monthly competition and annual online film festival. It is an IMDb eligible festival, which means film directors will be able to post their “awards” on their IMDb profile.
Lady K Productions was created by 25-year-old independent filmmaker Kamali. She recently released a comedy/crime short film titled, “Cleaning House,” on Vimeo on Demand. She wrote, directed, and edited the short film. It’s about three young maids who must find a way to pay back their crime boss. It’s been called a less dark version of the movie “Set it Off” and compared to the movie “Oceans 11.” She hopes to expand on the concept in the short film and make it a tv series similar to the tv series, Good Girls and Claws.
The Case of the Sad-Eyed Stripper: A Celeste Newhaven Psychic Eye Mystery, a new book by Suza Lambert Bowser, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.
About the Book – Celeste Newhaven is a psychic a reluctant psychic. As owner/proprietress of Newhaven’s Used Books in the northern California town of Crescent Bay, she believes she has found anonymity and a peaceful place to live, a place where she can be “normal”. But when she meets a young stripper named Minnie Mouse, dark visions, mystery , and a sense of unresolved murders descend on Celeste with the force of a Pacific Southwester. Unable to maintain a clear conscience while keeping her knowledge a secret, Celeste faces choices that lead her to R. Joe Gottelien, the handsome Chief of Police.
Suza Lambert Bowser introduces the first of her Celeste Newhaven Psychic Eye Mystery Series with The Case of the Sad-Eyed Stripper. Look forward to the next installment, The Case of the Red-Haired Ranchers, where Celeste navigates love, mystery, and murder in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
About the Author
Suza Lambert Bowser is a filmmaker, writer, and an artist currently living in New Hampshire. Her films include: A River of Skulls (Lionsgate) and FLEA (GGG), available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and the Microsoft Store.
The Case of the Sad-Eyed Stripper: A Celeste Newhaven Psychic Eye Mystery is a 308-page paperback with a retail price of $20.00. The ISBN is 978-1-6442-6481-2. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, or to request a review copy, please go to our virtual pressroom at www.dorrancepressroom.com or our online bookstore http://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com
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