First of all, this documentary is a
journey through Indian film history. At first it is about a place
which was once a famous film studio which produced films from the
early history of Indian cinema called the "Prabhat studios". After it
was closed the Indian government owned it and the famous Film
Institute of India was founded.
We hear witnesses who still remember
the time of the film studio and later film professors of this
institute. Film history took place here but now the studying, preserving and
restoring of films takes place. That does not include only to
prevent the Indian film heritage against its chemical decay but also
to prevent the knowledge of film history against the waters of
forgetfulness.
I can´t hesitate to think of Chou
Davy´s Le Sommeil d´Or (The Golden Slumber, Forum 2012) this
journey through Cambodian film history which was by force nearly
erased. Well in India it is mostly a shameful carelessness which
erases film history.
Several time we see people from this
institute working with 35mm film matter, restoring editing,
archiving, projecting. Ironically we just have entered the age of
digital film projecting. The knowledge about the complex mechanical and chemical work with 35 mm film is in danger to be forgotten soon.
Prabhat Pheri distinguishes
beautifully several kinds of memories, the memories from people who
worked at the film studio or at the film institute. Anecdotes and
little stories saved through memories but depending on a living human
body. The other memories, photos and last but not least the film
prints it self seem to be as mortal as the mostly old people who are remembering.
Right at the beginning we see countless
film prints which are already decomposed forever lost. An image which reminds painfully in the
mortality of cinema.
This film institute is also a place of
stories. Ritwik Ghatak, the super nova of Indian Cinema was once a
teacher here. Even though for a short time, Ghatak influenced a whole
generation of film makers. Only with joint efforts of international
film archives , Ghataks films could be saved against its decay and
disappearance from the public memory.
Prabhat Pheri itself is built like a big real estate with countless rooms. Each room is full of almost
forgotten stories in form of oral tradition or evident in form of
photos, film prints or abandoned film equipment.
The film itself seems sometimes an
analogy of an archive. Editing itself becomes an analogy to the
work of geologists, archaeologists or anthropologists who just began
to catalogue their finds.
Ironically a film from a country which
was nearly neglected by the Berlin Film festival in the last years,
offers this year one of the wisest film essays about the endangerment
of the film heritage in general.
In one chapter of this film, we see
film students striking against the privatisation of this institute.
This is quite an important hint to the endless fight between cinema
as a part of our culture and their knowledge against the exploitation
of the industry supported by the worldwide virus called Neoliberalism
where privatisation does not mean anything else than destruction.
Prabhat Pheri, the first long film by
Jessica Sadana and Samarth Dixit is a fascinating piece of
documentary essay, wise, inspiring and sometimes even poetic, a kind of
film essay which reminds me in Chou Davy´s Le Sommeil D´Or
and Patricio Guzman´s masterpiece Nostalgia De La Luz at the
same time. Martin Scorsese, who himself is devoted to the preservationof the
worldwide heritage of Cinema (whom I would like to recommend this
film), said once that films often look into the past. Like the
astronomers in Guzman´s Nostalgia De La Luz, these young
filmmakers are exploring the past of Indian Cinema with all its
partly forgotten knowledge. This knowledge will be important to learn
for the future of cinema. Last but not least, this film deals as well
with a very urgent aspect, the specific and rich Indian film heritage
which is one of the most endangered in world cinema. If for
cinephiles or film historians, Prabhat pheri has a lot to
offer.
Rüdiger Tomczak
Screenings:
February 14, Arsenal 1, 17.30
February 15, Delphi, 16.30
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