Paltadacho Munis (The Man Beyond the Bridge)

Konkani/35mm/96 Min/Col/Fiction/2009

Promo
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQS2jUzUVkU[/youtube]

Citation of FIPRISCI Jury

“…far from the sensory overload of India’s big cities, this film explores smaller but enduring dilemmas, drawing together keen environmental sensitivity with a nuanced view of village dynamics. Director Shetgaonkar immersed in the culture of the region, tells his tale with grace and attentiveness, taking the village traditions and belief seriously, while casting jaundiced eye on those exploit them”

Synopsis
Unfolding in the dense forests of Goa,The Man Beyond the Bridgefollows Vinayak, a forest guard who patrols protected lands while memories of his dead wife haunt him. One night, a madwoman appears at his door and Vinayak feeds her, starting a tentative friendship. Vinayak comes to care for her, finally taking her into his home and bed. But beforelong she is pregnant, and Vinayak becomes an object of public suspicion. Using uncommon landscapes, director Laxmikant Shetgaonkar gracefully explores man’s responsibility towards those in need, and also asks when the protection offered can go too far.

Producer: National Film Development Corporation of India
Story: Mahabaleshwar Sail
Screenplay & direction: Laxmikant Shetgaonkar
D.O.P: Arup Mandal
Editor: Sankalp Meshram
Sound: Rajiv Hegde
Music: Ved Nair
Executive Producer: Entertainment Network of Goa
Cast: Chittaranjan Giri, Vasant Josalkar, Prashanti Talpankar, Veena Jamkar

Awards & Festivals

• FIPRESCI Award at Toronto International film Festival ’09
• Hong Kong Asian Film Festival ’09
• Cairo International Film Festival ’09
• Mumbai Film Festival ’09
• International Film Festival of India ’09
• 3rd Eye International Film Festival Mumbai ’09
• Palm Springs International Film Festival ’10
• Pune International Film Festival ’10
• Berlin International Film Festival ’10
• Instanabul International Film Festival ’10
• Indian Film Festival Los Angeles ’10

Photos

Making of the Film

Paltadacho Munis was written in 2004. It was meant to be a film in Konkani. Given a background of two national awards and a Golden conch to my credit for my earlier film I could have opted to make the film in any other Indian language. Fortunately or unfortunately making first feature film was not just a step towards my carrier in filmmaking; rather it was an extension of my desire to spread Cinema culture in Goa. I had to make the film in Konkani. It is extremely difficult to narrate the process of making of this film. For starters, National Film Development Corporation of India approved the script but within a Year the Corporation stopped funding films. I received a letter to take away my script. In 2006, Govt. of Goa made a film policy and called for scripts for funding. However, in a rush to face the media and local producers a screening committee was formed to fund the film. The committee which was supposed to decide on the projects to be funded had no representation from the film industry. It consisted of theatre and literature person. Paltadacho Munis was rejected by the Govt. appointed committee. This was a major setback, as I had already exhorsted all possible funding bodies, individuals, organization in and outside Goa. Meanwhile, I kept on concentrating on my short films and documentaries, as I believed Paltadacho Munis will be made one day. I enrolled Paltadacho Munis in film writing workshops. These workshops gave the script visibility as it was not only selected by experts from the film industry but was also awarded by British council. In 2008, after 4 years of struggle on the home turf the film was once again picked up by N.F.D.C for production. This time without any further delay in the shooting we completed the film in six months straight.