Short Change

Eghbal,who was in the city recently along with British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) chairman and NFTS director Nik Powell,says these awards are a good recognition but the approach road is long and difficult. Powell and Eghbal were part of the first-ever National Students Film Award (NFSA) and Students’ Short Film Festival of India (SFFI) at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

Explaining the changes that have come into the field of short-filmmaking,Powell says,“In countries like France and Germany,there is a certain amount of funds from the public money,which is given to short-filmmakers. However,the most important part is getting it to the audience. It is a given fact that short films cannot compare with feature films because they are two different platform and genres. Independent screenings and film festivals are some ways in which they are finding audiences.”

Eghbal says one of the more innovative aspects that have been introduced into screening short films is that cable television channels have started showing them. “In Britain,as is the case with a lot of countries,there are no inexpensive ways to reach the audience. Cable television operators and independent channels now take these movies and show them late night or in the wee hours of the morning. So,the audience is still small but a lot of people record the films and watch them later on. It shows that these films are now reaching out even if the route is still long,” she says.

The duo agrees that in India,which also has a burgeoning section of filmmakers dedicated to making short films,the problem is also compounded by the influence that Bollywood has on the masses.

Powell says that even though there are film clubs in urban areas,rural areas lose out. “One of the ways in which governments in Europe managed to change things for short-filmmakers is by subsidising Internet charges. Here,too,if charges for downloading films from the Internet are further subsidised,audiences in rural India will also be able to watch short films. Of course,language is also a barrier. With financial help from the government,filmmakers can go to villages to screen their films and also explain films from different languages to the people there. But it won’t happen overnight. It has to be a joint initiative by the government and the filmmakers,” he says.

Eghbal,who had to shelf a full-length feature film a few years ago,says she will start work on another feature film soon. “I know it is not easy for independent filmmakers to generate money and make a film with virtually no hopes of the money coming back. But that is the thrill of film making in the truest sense. It is about telling a story on the silver screen and getting it across to an audience. It drives short-filmmakers and independent filmmakers across the world to ensure that the genre,despite all odds,survives,” she says.