Private Project

ENDLESS SUMMER


What do you do when the light of your life suddenly turns off? When your 24 year old son dies at an age when you can no more conceive children – and all you are left with is a sense of emptiness. Some find solace in prayers, yet others immerse themselves into social welfare and some get cocooned in their private spaces to wither away.

A couple from Ernakulam in Kerala,South India however, didn’t take any of these usual routes. They wanted their son back, and would settle for nothing less. After they came to know that the semen sample of their son is preserved in a hospital, and the hospital is not ready to give it to them, they decided to enter into a legal fight to get hold of their only hope. With help from lawyers who were initially reluctant to take on the case due to its unusual nature, they won this battle, but soon found themselves facing another challenge. Their search for a surrogate mother to bear this child hit a roadblock.

In the conservative society where they belong, women were not willing to oblige. More so because their case was so hyped in the media, and some of it in a negative light, that people preferred to stay away from them. But this elderly couple is not willing to give up that easily.

But even if they get her, can they really secure their son’s AFTERLIFE??

Pregnancy experts have assured them that the quality of the semen, if preserved following the right procedures, will not be affected over time. But yes, the same experts have told them that the success rate in ART cases is minimal according to medical theory…but that’s just theory for the couple.

All they know that this is their dead son’s only chance at life, and that they will fight till the end to complete the incredible journey that they had begun. They don’t have an option not to.

  • SANJEEV SIVAN
    Director
  • SANJEEV SIVAN
    Writer
  • SANJEEV SIVAN
    Producer
  • SEEMA BISWAS
    Key Cast
    BANDIT QUEEN
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 40 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 29, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Malayalam
  • Shooting Format:
    35MM
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • HIDDEN GEMS FESTIVAL
    CALGARY
    Canada
    June 9, 2015
    NORTH AMERICA PREMIER
    BEST FILM
Distribution Information
  • sanjeev sivan entertainment
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - SANJEEV SIVAN

SANJEEV SIVAN Film-maker; Director; Storyteller A PROFILE Youngest of a family of film-makers that includes his father and elder brothers Sangeeth and Santosh Sivan, Sanjeev quite literally has film-making in his blood. Born and brought up in an environment where film reels substituted for skipping ropes and camera tripods for cricket bats, it was only a matter of time before Sanjeev decided to take up film direction as a profession. With the firm belief that a strong sense of narration and a flair for story telling has to be backed up be a thorough knowledge of all aspects of film making, Sanjeev undertook a comprehensive 4 year course in direction at the very prestigious Tisch film school, New York University. He also holds an MBA degree from the same university. What Sanjeev aims to represent through his celluloid sagas is the myriad moods of the human animal – all its cries, whispers and smug moments in its immensely breathtaking variety. The subject of existence haunts him, and his selection of stories to tell reveals a particular knack for the ‘strangeness’ of being. For him, treatment always follows the route that the concept imposes upon it – he believes each story has to be told differently, and in each new project, there is a different story of ‘strangeness’ to tell. In all of Sanjeev’s projects, be it feature, documentary or docu-features, his followers have started expecting this ‘difference’ – this uniquely distinctive storytelling. Sanjeev’s Malayalam feature film, ‘APARICHITHAN- THE STRANGER’ - starring superstar Mammootty, was made on a budget of less than Rs. 1.25 crores, ‘THE STRANGER’ changed the face of the Kerala film industry with its never-seen-before technique and craft. Yet to release Malayalam feature film “Venalodungathe” ( Endless summer) with Salim kumar & Seema Biswas was recently awarded best film at the Calgary, Canada International film festival. This was based on his award winning documentary “AFTER LIFE”

Sanjeev’s other feature projects have also been widely cherished – both domestically and abroad. Films like “GUBBAN MOOPAN’S DREAM” (Fukuoka International film festival, Japan) and “MANIKKAN” in Tamil (both produced by Films Division,I & B Ministry) have won rave reviews from critics and appreciation from viewers alike.

When Sanjeev is not making feature films, he makes documentaries and docu-features; that too with flying colours. His most recent film, UNDERGROUND INFERNO (National Geographic Channel), won the BEST DOCUMENTARY Award IIFF 2& the best documentary at the Greece International film festival. Sanjeev becomes particularly excited about his documentary projects because here he gets the scope of exploring in-depth the elements that constitute his world-view of existence. He has a long list of completed international projects. To name a few recent ones; THE ARYAN SAGA ; SEX LIES & A BOOK ; KARAOKE COPS (Al Jazeera) ; LIFE AFTER DEATH (Asian Pitch) , DHARAVI – UNDERBELLY ECONOMY (Mediacorp) , SLUMGOD MATHEMATICIANS (Sundance Channel), IN THE SHADOWS OF TAJ(MEDIACORP), UNITED COLOURS OF BOLLYWOOD, FIGHT PRACY TODAY, LITTLE WOMEN( all for PSBT)ARUNIMA’S STORY, BOYS & GIRLS, THE DOLL STORY. His future Malayalam feature film projects are “WHAT IF” with Nivin Pauly, “15 HOURS”with Mamooty & “KINGDOM” with Fahad Fazil

He has been signed up by EROS INTERNATIONAL to direct three feature films in Hindi Awards come naturally to Sanjeev Sivan. From the beginning of his filmmaking career he has been showered with praises and accolades that have inspired him to reach even greater heights. ‘JOHNNY’ as producer won a national award and Kerala state award for Best Children’s film. Sanjeev received the ‘EMERGING MASTERS AWARD’ at the Seattle Intl Film Festival. He was also the jury member of the Indian Documentary Producers Association(IDPA) Film Awards He’s served as a jury member for the 57nth National film awards

For Sanjeev, making films is a natural extension of his self – an expression of the experiences he has accumulated over the years through his inhibition-free interaction with people. That’s the reason why his films are always about emotions – intense stories of people who are stuck in a queer twist of fate and are striving to break out of those shackles. Sanjeev believes nothing could be more important than a aesthetic portrayal of this human struggle to break free…this urge to retain ones integrity in the face of greatest of adversaries… a helplessness that emerges sometimes from within the protagonist and sometimes from outside. That’s the spirit and the soul of Sanjeev’s work. And that’s his ‘difference’ as a storyteller. CONTACT SANJEEV SIVAN E-Mail: sanjeevsivan@sanjeevsivanentertainment.com Cell: 91- 9446749926/ 91-9819772204

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