India
India Delegation
August 4-27, 2009
Filmmaker: Mel Stuart, The Hobart Shakespeareans
Expert: Sandra J. Ruch
Delegate Report
by Sandra J. Ruch
Mission
As Film Specialist, I represented the American Documentary Showcase and Mel Stuart, the filmmaker of The Hobart Shakespeareans, who was unable to travel. The film was screened several times in each city for a total of 17 screenings. I held discussions, workshops and master classes throughout her trip. I also created a half-hour video interview with Mel, which was screened after his film was shown. In addition, a five-minute promo reel of his work was screened.
Programs
The consulate in each Post organized and arranged excellent partnerships with local colleges, universities, academies and high schools. The majority of students were post-graduates and majoring in Media Communication (TV, Print, Journalism, Film) or Film Studies. They ranged from beginning filmmakers to those who have completed several student documentaries.
Responses
The overall reaction from all audiences was very positive. They loved the film, felt it was a universal story and were inspired by the passion of the teacher. They also enjoyed the video interview with Mel and found his Five Points for Success very helpful. Many took notes and we had lively discussions about what it takes to make documentaries.
Workshops/Discussions
Most students in India are quite shy. The tradition is for professors to lecture and students to listen and take notes. I found that most students will not ask questions, but if I asked them questions or to describe what kind of doc they would like to make, they would respond. Most students were planning on making docs on the various human, social and environmental issues that both affect India and are relevant globally. Poverty, gender, empowerment of women, water and waste were the most common concerns. There were several students who knew personal stories of people who had personal handicap issues and were able to overcome them and pursue productive lives.
There were many discussions in each city about the difficulty of funding, distribution and marketing docs in India. I shared the Documentary Resources that I had compiled. I also continue to receive many e-mails from students with requests to review their proposals and to advise them on how to make their docs and where to access funding.
Media Coverage
Each Post arranged interviews for specialist with Print, TV and electronic media press conference,s which generated very positive articles about the showcase and the film.
Recommendations
In the case of a delegation going to many cities in one country, such as India, I recommend that each Consulate receive a complete set of the 29 DVDs. The US Embassy is located in New Delhi only they received a complete set of Showcase DVDs and reproduced copies of The Hobart Shakespeareans for each consulate. The Consulates received many requests from the partners, colleges and universities to screen the entire series at a later date.
Chennai
August 5- 10
Mrs. Usha Davalur, Program Manager, and Mrs. Ragini Gupta, Cultural Affairs Officer, planned excellent screenings and meetings with students and faculty at the MGR Film and Television Institute.
MGR Film and Television Institute: There was a screening of The Hobart Shakespeareans to undergraduates and post-graduates in the Film department. The students loved the film. A consulate staff member, Mark Mishkin, had been a History teacher at Taft High School in LA, introduced the film, and it was of great interest to the students.
The professor met us at the Institute, along with Raviraj, head of the Film department, and two graduate students, Ms. Shilpa and Mr. Bakiaraj There were about 50 students in the audience and I gave a talk and workshop about making documentary films.
Saturday, August 8
I went back to MGRFI to screen a documentary, Where Dreams Come True, made by Ms. Shipla and Mr. Baikearaj.
The Access program in South India, funded by US Government has given hundred of poor children a chance to succeed. The MGR film students used the occasion of the Showcase to create a documentary about the impact of the Access program on students at Anjuman-e-Himayath-e-Islam (an orphanage), which focuses on the success of three orphaned students who are now studying at prestigious local colleges.
Under the guidance of Mr. Raviraj and Mrs. Davalur (Programs Manager, Public Affairs, and US Consulate) and Ragini Gupta (CAO), the students completed the film two weeks prior to my arrival. They created a very effective and well-produced documentary. Mr. S.M. Vasanath, a well-known director from Chennai, also was present and we all gave our suggestions and comments about the film. It was a very positive experience for all, and the students were extremely pleased to hear our comments.
Madurai
August 7-8
Fatima College: A Christian college for Women, Madurai – National Seminar on Documentary Filmmaking.
In honor of the Showcase, Dr. Geetha, Department Head, organized the seminar and screening of The Hobart Shakespeareans to 200 English and Journalism students. The students were moved by the film and asked many questions. Many expressed hope that Mel Stuart would do a follow up film to see what happened to the students in f years.
We then were shown a documentary entitled Vanishing Wisdom, produced by the MA students of Fatima College in collaboration with the DHAN, an NGO located in Madurai. The documentary deals with the depletion of water resources and their transformation into drainage water canals. It was a very well produced doc and addressed a major social issue in Madurai; vanishing water is an issue throughout India.
After the screening, there was a panel composed of myself, Mr. Rajasekaran, a filmmaker and also the Director of The Gandhi Institute of Youth Development. He screened his documentary and was the keynote speaker. I also gave a lecture about documentary trends in US and globally.
Hyderabad
August 10-14
Mr. Salil Kader, Cultural Affairs Specialist and Rachel Chadalavada, Pubic Affairs Assistant, did an incredible job of organizing programs with local partners and also arranging excellent print and media coverage.
The US Consulate was launched in Hyderabad in March 2009. I am the first American to represent a DOS BECA program. This was a very special opportunity for the consulate and the Showcase, and the Post created an excellent program.
August 11: Hyderabad University
Sarojini Naidu School of Performing Arts, Fine Arts & Communication. A top-ranked public university. The School has an interdisciplinary research program on Visual Culture and the screening of The Hobart Shakespeareans and my master class workshop were part of the the Visual Culture program.
The students were told that I would be doing a workshop the next day. I gave them a homework assignment which was to prepare a one-to-three minute pitch on the film they hope to make.
August 12: Chiric Public School
The Chiric School was such a delightful and unique experience. I don't know of a school quite like it in the US. The faculty is quite special and the students, from the four-year-olds to the seniors seem to love their school and their teachers. Over 200 students attended the screening. Although they were shy about asking questions, I received e-mails from some students after the class.
August 13: Saint Mary’s College
The screening and Q&A session at Saint Mary's College was the highlight of my day. What a lively, energetic group of students. They were so responsive and excited about the films that it was such a rewarding experience for me. Screening both Beginning Filmmaking and The Hobart Shakespeareans was a great idea. I was so impressed by the College Chairman and his son, the Director. They are such dedicated educators and set such a positive high energy level environment that students seem to love and flourish.
The students were the most anxious to ask questions and interact. One girl said she had made a short doc about her friends at school and she asked to show it. We did and the class loved it.
Friday, August 14
Post set up press interviews for me with five Hyderabad newspapers; it was a press marathon. Post will send us the results of the interviews.
Conclusion
The programs organized by the Posts in Chennai/Madurai and Hyderabad were excellent. All partners that participated were very pleased with the screenings and workshops. They all requested that they would like to be able to set up future screenings of the other Showcase films.
In every case the schools, colleges and universities want to have access to American documentaries. A known director from Chennai also was present and we gave our suggestions and comments about the film. It was a very positive experience for all and the students were extremely pleased to hear our comments.
Mumbai
August 14-18
Robyn Remeika, CAO, and Ajmal Palakal, CA Specialist, did a great job in handling the new situation and were able to get the word out that the screenings and workshops would be held at the American Center.
I Arrived in Mumbai Friday evening, August 14, to hot, humid weather, unbelievable traffic and constant horns –– like a John Cage composition.
The Consulate had a real challenge because of the Swine Flu. The local government had decreed that all schools, colleges, cinemas and shopping malls were to be closed for a week. They had scheduled me to visit various schools, and the Whistling Woods Studio, which were all going to be closed.
August 17- August 18
Two days of screening and workshops with film students from the Academy of Media Research and Studies, Sophia College and Wilson College to come to the American Center for the screenings and workshops. They were very attentive and had many comments and questions. They were very moved and impressed by the film. They all wanted to have a copy to bring back to their schools. It was a very rewarding experience, as the students really appreciate seeing American docs and want to see more.
Mr. Ramesh Tekwani, Vice President of the Indian Documentary Producers Association –– a non-profit very similar to IDA –– is India's largest organization of documentary producers. It is the co-organizer of the Mumbai Film Festival. He was very enthusiastic about the Showcase and wanted to know how he could have access to all 29 films to show IDPA members. I gave him a copy of The Hobart Shakespeareans. He also wanted the Mel Stuart video, so I made a copy for him.
Media Coverage
Post did a good job of setting up interviews with local journalists.
The theatre at the American Center is small but quite lovely. They have weekly events and screenings. They would love to be able to show more of the films from the Showcase. This is an issue with the Embassy in New Delhi, as they have the only set of all 29 films, because of pirating and copyright issues. We should find a way to get permission from the AMDOCS filmmakers to allow their films to be reproduced for wider distribution and screening. Every city I have visited so far is very willing to have screenings of more films, but we must figure out how to accomplish this with permission from the filmmakers.
Kolkata
August 19-21
Post Personnel: Debasis Ghose, Moulik Berklana, Maitrehyee Mukhoty. I want to thank and commend them and the US Consulate Kolkata team for such a well organized and productive program schedule for me to bring the Showcase to film students in Kolkata.
The choice of Film Schools, both RoopkKala Kendra and NSHM School of Media and Communication (NSMC), were excellent choices for screening The Hobart Shakespeareans. The students were very appreciative and extremely interested in learning about the making of the film and about making documentaries. It was a very rewarding experience for me as well.
The faculty of both institutions is impressive and their enthusiasm can be seen in the work of the students and their interest in learning. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the three NSMC student films. Their films were professionally produced, with wonderful subjects, superb cinematography, sound, editing and music. The level of achievement is far above most student films. Any of these films could be submitted to international student film festivals. I totally enjoyed the interaction with these students.
They shared their ideas for their next docs and all were articulate and well thought out. The level of teaching is superb and the student works exemplifies the quality and standards of this very special media institution. I look forward to seeing future work by these students and since I gave them my email address I expect I will hear from many of them.
I was also very impressed by how well organized the press conference was after the workshop. Every major newspaper in Kolkata was represented, and they asked excellent and challenging questions. I hope that they will report on how important it is for India and America to have cultural exchanges. I am thankful to the US Consulate Kolkata and the US Department of State, BECA, for the opportunity to visit Kolkata. It is truly the cultural center of India.
Roopkala Kendra and NSHM Institute of Media & Communication all are very impressed with the documentary film showing, its director Mel Stuart’s tips for making a successful documentary, and the montage shown. Students and faculty members at both the institutes were remarkably interactive, shared their experience and learned good tips on documentary filmmaking.
New Delhi
August 23-28
Post Personnel: Diane Brandt, ACAO; Ramesh S. Jain, Sr., Program Manager. They did a superb job in arranging partnerships with local colleges and universities that were highly attended, well organized and provided each student with copies of the handouts I prepared for the master class.
My stay here was such an energizing experience. The screenings at Sri Venkateswara College, Jamia Millia University, were well attended. The students were so appreciative, and receptive. Although at first they seem shy, we were able to have an interactive session and I am impressed by their enthusiasm and curiosity.
The Master Class at CMS was the highlight of my trip. As I had met six of the students from Jamia Millia the day before, it felt like we were already acquainted. The entire group was so participatory, creative and energetic. Each student gave few minutes pitch of the documentary they would like to make, and every one of them has a special and unique story to tell. The dialogue that went on between the students was really exciting.
They seem to love to disagree with each other's views on aspects of Indian culture and politics, and I suggested they film the interaction of the classmates. They are extremely well trained, have a strong sense of storytelling and filmmaking, and are highly motivated. Three students showed samples of their work and it was outstanding. The production value, cinematography, content, music and sound were of the highest quality. This was a highly creative, talented group. I look forward to seeing their future work at festivals around the world.
Tonight was the final two screenings and discussions of The Hobart Shakespeareans in India. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful venue and audience than the American Center in Delhi. It is a hub of cultural activity and diverse programming and positive energy.
It was an honor and a great opportunity to present the Showcase to a full audience, which was appreciative, interested and motivated. In addition to the screenings, I also attended two other events at the Center: the Music performances for the Monsoon Festival and the book launch of The Difficulty of Being Good. Both were very impressive events that made me feel proud to know what the US Embassy offers to residents in Delhi.
Conclusion:
My thanks and gratitude to the US Embassy in Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Madurai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata for arranging such a comprehensive, well planned trip to India. It was such a productive, rewarding experience for me and proved how the Showcase is a tribute to the power of the documentary genre to reach audiences worldwide, effect change and open lines of communication with the universal messages of hope for the social, cultural, economic and political future of our planet.
It was a great opportunity to share views on global issues that impact all of us. I am very thankful for your support and for that of DOS Educational and Cultural Affairs Department, which created this worthwhile program.