BHUBANESWAR: ‘Runanubandha – The He Without Him’, a feature film directed by Amartya Bhattacharya and produced by Swastik Choudhury, is the latest Odia production to be selected for screening at 41st Moscow International Film Festival 2019 (MIFF) which starts from April 18.
The film has been produced by Odisha-based production house Swastik Arthouse. It will feature as a part of the ‘Films around the world’ section. It is the only Indian feature film to be screened at the festival. The only other Indian presence at the festival is the documentary ‘Reason’ by Anand Patwardhan.
MIFF is one of the oldest film festivals of the world having started in 1935. Earlier, this film was featured as one of the three Indian films at the international competition at 24th Kolkata International Film Festival last November. It then found a place in competition at the 11th Bengaluru International Film Festival last month.
On April 12, the film premieres in UK and France with screenings at the Festival des Films Indiens de Toulouse in France and London Bengali Film Festival in UK. The film was also screened at 14th International Film Festival of Thrissur and at Nitte International Film Festival in Mangalore.
Directed by national award winner Amartya Bhattacharyya, the film has already impressed several critics and renowned filmmakers. The film features debutant Priyanka Ghosh Roy as the protagonist around which the film revolves. Swastik Choudhury also plays a very interesting character. Renowned Indian filmmaker Susant Misra plays a short cameo as an actor. Music of the film is scored by Kisaloy Roy, whereas Rupam Islam of Bangla rock band Fossils sings the title song.
This film is the third feature film collaboration between Swastik Arthouse and Amartya Bhattacharya. They had earlier collaborated in Capital I and Khyanikaa (The Lost Idea), both critically acclaimed at various international film festivals around the world. Recently, the tally of number of film festivals that featured Khyanikaa reached twenty five – the most by an Odia film ever.
Runanubandha is a term used in spirituality which refers to the body’s memory, which comprises of genetic memory and memory of intimate physical connect. It is this memory which is said to bind a parent and a child, a husband and a wife or any other intimate relationship. The film explores a daughter’s search for her father in the metropolis of Kolkata. The daughter Shatarupa, finds the voice of her father in a young man who comes to her life as a director.
The paternal traits draw her towards him, but she finds herself trapped elsewhere between emotional complexities and simplicity. The film also draws a parallel with the mythological tale of Lord Brahma, the universal father and creator, who was attracted to his own daughter Shatarupa (also known as Saraswati). The film unfolds the mystic journey of a daughter in pursuit of her father.
