WAR AND WORSHIP
With the initiative of Subhas Chandra Bose, Durga Puja in Bengal became an emblem of the Swadeshi movement to propagate anti-British protests during the freedom struggle of India. The body building clubs or Anushilan Samitis, sheltered and trained the revolutionaries, who under the leadership of Bose used Durga Puja as a platform to ignite in the hearts of millions, the flame of Patriotism.
Not only did Subhas lead the youth; he brought radical changes in the society to empower women, the ‘incarnation of Goddess Durga’. He was the first leader in the world to form a regimented army comprising of women. Subhas's war was intended not merely to rid India from the clutches of the British, but also to eradicate the evils of the society.
He involved the mass of all strata, to rise against colonialism. His worship for Durga transformed into conceptualizing and interpreting the deity as Deshmatrika or the Motherland. The film gives a new insight to the life and times of not only Subhas, but also the armed revolution of that era.
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ABANTI SINHADirector
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ABANTI SINHAWriter
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FILMS DIVISION Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt of India.Producer
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Susanta AdhikaryCinematography
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Pramit DasCinematography
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Pabitra JanaEditor
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Priyanko DasMusic
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Suchisuvro SenSound Dseign
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:28 minutes
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Completion Date:September 12, 2022
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Country of Origin:India
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Country of Filming:India
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital Osmo,Fuji,Gopro,CanonD90
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Aspect Ratio:16/9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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28th Kolkata International Film FestivalKolkata
India
December 18, 2022
India -
Jammu Film FestivalJammu
India
April 8, 2023
Best Director -
Cinema4screen Film FestivalMumbai
India
April 21, 2023
Distribution Information
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Film Bazar at Berlinale by NFDC IndiaDistributorCountry: India
Abanti Sinha is a Documentary Filmmaker, based in Kolkata, India. She has spent the last twenty odd years in her career as a journalist working with the renowned groups of the Print Media Industry, namely Ananda Bazar Patrika and Delhi Press Group of Magazines. She always had an inclination to writing and also a keen vision for exploring the untold stories of people, their life, art, rituals, the lesser known cult and culture.
Her film, ‘IN SEARCH OF PARBHA CHHAU’ produced by Ministry of Culture Government of India, is on a rare dance form of CHHAU which is consigned to oblivion. It is through the Documentary her findings for this rare dance form, has reached the world. It has won accolades worldwide in International Film Festivals like Standalone Film Festival and Awards Los Angeles, Rollout Dance Film Festival Macau, Lift-off Sessions Pinewood Studios UK, The Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival Frankfurt Germany. Some awards have also come its way. Special Mention Award in Dhaka Festival, Best Runner up Award in Cochin International Short Films Awards and Best Documentary award in Cinema4Screen Film Festival Mumbai, Best Documentary Film on the Intangible Heritage of India from Kerala State Museum Talkies International Film Festival are some to mention. The film has also been screened for 27th Kolkata International Film Festival and screened in Indic Film Utsav, Royal Stag Barrel Challenge, 5th International Folklore Film Festival and many others.
Her documentary film ‘BHUMCHU – THE DROPS OF ETERNAL LIFE’ has been produced by The Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Sikkim. This film has been selected for screening at the Lift-off Sessions Pinewood Studios UK, 5th International Folklore Film Festival, East Orange Global Film, Awards, Dubai and National Documentary Film Festival, 5th South Asian Film Festival at Nandan, National Short and Documentary Festival Thrissur etc.
It has won the Best Documentary Film on the Intangible Heritage of India for the second time in the Museum Talkies International Film Festival, organised by Kerala Museum. Best Documentary Audience Choice Award for Indic Film Utsav 2021, Honourable mention Award from Cinemaking, Dhaka Festival. Best Documentary for Cinema4screen Film Festival, Mumbai, Best Film award in Srinagar Film Festival.
It has been chosen as a finalist in competition section of the Fiorenzo Sera Film Festival Sassari Italy, among the best 12 selected films to be screened at the festival and one among the only 2 Indian entrants. The film BHUMCHU has been preserved in the Sassari University for further research on ethno cultural groups across the globe.
It was screened at the River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, under patronage of the Indian Embassy Italy. Shortly to be screened at Milan, Italy.
Her new project WAR AND WORSHIP, on Netaji commissioned for the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, produced by Films Division ( NFDC ), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which unveils a new perspective of the National hero. It was showcased for films distribution in Berlinale Film Festival Germany. It was also screened at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival. This film won the Best Director Award in Jammu Film Festival.
The political ideology of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, is of utmost relevance even today. He still stands as a role model considering the immense contribution in the freedom movement and his tireless effort to change the society. The youth and women during the Crown rule, played a vital role to implement Subhas’s ideology and rise against the bondage.
Bose was perhaps the only leader who could unite all communities as Bharatiyas, which is extremely important in today’s India, where we find divisive politics is taking the center stage. The youth of our nation must come forward now, just like the freedom movement era-- to take forward Bose’s inclusive ideology to unite all communities and thereby uphold the Constitution of India and protect the Concept and moral fabric of our great Nation.