Sobha a bead seller, Devappa a motorboat rider, Jerroviar a lifeguard, Brendan a school boy, Vishu a massage boy… and many others whose life is enmeshed with the life of the most popular beach in Goa, the BAGA BEACH. The film is a camouflage in motion exploring struggles of people living on the coastal belt of Goa, giving an insight into the complex world of growing tourism industry.
“…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
Paltadacho Munis – The Man Beyond the Bridge
Paltadacho Munis – The Man Beyond the Bridge
Paltadacho Munis – The Man Beyond the Bridge
Paltadacho Munis – The Man Beyond the Bridge : Palki
Paltadacho Munis – The Man Beyond the Bridge : Prashanti
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.
Can you hear my silence?.. a documentary film designed to create awareness on child sexual abuses. It urges to give justice to the victims and ensure a healthy environment to children. The film takes off from the notorious Fready Paets case, documents the case history of paedophiles (convicted/registered/absconding) and emphasises the importance of an adult’s role in healthy upbringing of a child.
HIV is a global epidemic. The victims of the dreaded diseases are in our homes and neibourhood. The blame game has begun. This time the target is a small red light area, Baina in Goa. Right from its inception sex trade has been questioned by the society. The HIV prevalence rate being highest in most of the red light areas has once again raised questions over existence of this red light area in Goa.
Let’s Talk About ‘it’ is a debate. The documentary unfolds through series of interviews with residents, doctors, lawyers and sex workers giving the viewers various point of views to make their own judgment on the issue. The resident of the locality come face to face with the taboo subject, to understand the issue in its entity to come to a solution.
Producer: Vasco Anti AIDS Association
Research & Direction: Laxmikant Shetgaonkar
Editor: Hemantee Sarkar
Executive Producer: Entertainment Network of Goa
Citation of Jury 2004 National Award
“This short fiction handles the simple and delicate relationship between ordinary human beings in very profound, evocative and enterprising manner, within a commercialized compulsive atmosphere”
Synopsis
The film is about a school teacher shabu, who silently grim about the transformation of his village into market place and is unable to do anything about the “ fast money making† mentality, growing amongst  his fellow villagers. One fine day, he bumps into foreign tourist, nancy and while confronting her he realizes his own weakness ad strengths  and change himself to such an extent that he fights his battle  against commercialization on personal level.
After returning to my native state, it took almost a year to get 1.7 lakh for the production of the film. Just the time when we found the producer, London based actor Claire Price (UK) had come to Mumbai to conduct an acting workshop. We managed to get her appointment and after reading the initial script she confirmed to act in our short fiction without expecting any remuneration. Goan stage actor Dhanu Dicholkar was cast opposite her and it was in a real sense collaboration of two artists belonging to varied cultures. The film was shot on the costal belt of Goa.
