A Teresian Tribute to 100 years of Indian Cinema

The National Film Workshop ‘A Teresian Tribute to 100 years of Indian Cinema’ organized by the Department of Communicative English, St. Teresa’s College, was formally inaugurated by internationally acclaimed film maker Shyamaprasad. Eminent film personalities of Malayalam film Industry belonging to different eras graced the event. Dignitaries present were Mr. Sabu Cherian, Chairman of KSFDC( Kerala State Film Development Corporation) and producer, yesteryear veteran actress Mrs. Khadeeja, Mr. Suraj Venjaramoodu, cine actor –comedian ,Mr. Badri, an upcoming director and actor.

The workshop saw active participation from people from all walks of life. The workshop includes sessions on Acting, Dubbing, Direction, Scriptwriting, Editing, Photography and Cinematography. Various competitions were also held including Budding Actor and Actress, Short Film and Documentary competitions, Scriptwriting, and Photography.  The workshop was also a fundraiser for the third year students’ PR Campaign, whereby they handed over a contribution to the veteran actress Khadeeja.

“Indian Cinema needs responsible and discerning viewers who promote worthwhile films which further the society”, said Mr. Shyamaprasad in his inaugural address. The event also witnessed a cake cutting ceremony to mark the centenary year of Indian Cinema. Besides inaugurating the function, Mr. Shyamaprasad also took the session on Direction. In the interactive session, which saw active participation from the delegates, he stressed on how today talent mattered much more than good looks, which was a criteria in the past.

The session on scriptwriting was taken by veteran screenwriter Mr. John Paul, who delved into the finer nuances of scriptwriting and gave guidelines on the practical aspects of scriptwriting. It was followed by the scriptwriting competition. A screening of the shortlisted entries of the short film and documentary competitions was also held.The first day of the workshop saw sessions on Acting and Dubbing  which were taken by Mr.Sajeev N.K., guest faculty at FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) and dramatist and dubbing artiste Ms. Sukanya Shaji respectively.

The final day saw South India’s best film personalities interacting with young film enthusiasts. The day’s sessions included one by Mr. Anthony Gonsalves, ace Editor of South Indian Film Industry and Mr. Rajan Paul, veteran Photographer and the recipient of many prestigious awards.

Mr. Gonsalves held an interactive session with the novice film makers. He mentioned how editing was more of an aesthetic art rather than a mere technical aspect. ‘’He emphasized on how the experience from short film making can help aspiring directors to get the right shots without relying on luck alone’’, said Emmanuel Vijay a final year engineering student who attended the workshop.

Mr. Rajan Paul displayed his visual anthology which enthralled the participants. He remarked how professional photography requires thorough dedication to get the perfect shot. He even did a live demonstration of how a fashion photo-shoot is carried out.

The workshop concluded with a formal valedictory function presided by Mr. Mecartin, popular director/scriptwriter and Mr. Arun Gopi, filmmaker, wherein the winners of various competitions held through the three days were announced and awarded cash prizes.