The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will honor filmmaker Mrinal Sen’s centenary by showcasing five of his films.
The festival will screen Mrinal Sen’s renowned films Bhuvan Shome, Calcutta 71, Akaler Sandhane, Padatik, and Ek Din Pratidin.
Bhuvan Shome (1969), which received three National Awards, follows a stern Bengali bureaucrat who embarks on a journey of self-realization and social commentary on the rural-urban divide.
Linking together four stories, Calcutta 71 (1972) depicts people struggling for survival in a meditation on poverty, natural disaster, and political strife.
Akaler Sandhane (1980), winner of four National Awards and the Silver Bear at the 31st Berlin International Film Festival, presents a stark visual of the Bengal famine-struck region that continues to struggle with poverty decades later.
Padatik (1973) follows a young revolutionary who escapes police custody and seeks refuge in a divorcee’s apartment, leading to introspection and questioning of his ideological path.
Hailed as Mrinal Sen’s most eloquent commentary on middle-class dilemmas in the country, Ek Din Pratidin (1979) secured three National Awards. The film describes a lower-middle-class working woman’s life and the hidden strength behind despair.