The Leading Ladies

At Kurukshetra University to speak at the Media International Film Festival (MIFF) held last week,Samson was joined by another lady on a mission — Nina Lath Gupta,the managing director of National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC). For the uninitiated,Gupta completed her higher studies from Chandigarh. An Indian Revenue Services officer,she is bringing NFDC back to life. It’s a slow process,agrees Gupta,but they are pulling all their strength. What was once the backbone of critically acclaimed films,was reduced to a non-entity due to lack of vision and leadership. But Gupta is out to change the image of NFDC by focusing on regional and rural talent and films,by setting up film training facilities,screenwriter labs,sub-titling plants,film clubs and speciality theatres with low ticketing and alternate cinema. With award-winning films in its kitty this year,including Gurvinder Singh’s Anhey Ghodey da Daan and Onir’s I Am to list a few,Gupta says that NFDC has 11 films in the pipeline,one of them in the Jharkhand dialect which has been directed by Vikas Mishra and co-produced by Sanjay Suri. Now that NFDC only produces,its aim is to provide a skill set and open international markets for the films along with television releases. Another ambitious project is the National Film Heritage Mission in order to conserve movies of the past 100 years of Indian cinema. Besides,a digital heritage lab is also in the pipeline.

Film appreciation courses for panel members,a thinking board of writers and directors,films subsidies,refraining from undue editing or cutting — all this and more is on Samson’s agenda at the CBFC office. While Gupta has just wrapped up the film Qissa,and is looking forward to Gungoo Bai,Chauranga and Shanghai among others,Samson is trying to get the 60-year-old Cinematographers Film Act amended.

The classical dancer and chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi,Samson is also waging a battle with the word “Central” in the Central Board of Film Certification. “Our films are going all over the world,so why not an Indian Board of Film Certification,” she reasons. Next up is the archaic CBFC logo. “It’s still a sliced film,and I refuse to write on a letter head with that logo on it,” she says. Samson’s team is now designing a new logo,working on certification,classification and even a fresh film certificate sans the black and white borders,the frills and the clutter of endless names and letters in it. “I am simply reacting as an artist,” Samson defends her stance.

If Samson has Samvaad,interactive sessions regarding cinema,Gupta is at the helm of the annual Film Bazaar at Goa,a platform for cross-pollination of ideas and the business of cinema. Like Gupta,Samson is no stargazer. Their aim is to infuse life into these lifeless organisations. One beat at a time.