Negatives of five of my films in poor shape: Buddhadeb
What's the story
The negatives of five acclaimed celluloid works of eminent filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta are in very bad shape and need immediate restoration. "The master negatives of five of my works - Dooratwa (1978), Phera (1988), Bagh Bahadur (1989), Uttara (2000) and Ami Yasin Aar Amar Madhubala (2007) are in very poor shape," the 74-year-old director said in an interview in Kolkata. Read more.
Concern
Dasgupta upset over negligence by producers of the films
Dasgupta is upset that no initiative has been taken by different producers of the films to ensure proper upkeep of the negatives. 'Uttara' won Silver Lion for best director award at the Venice Film Festival (2000), 'Phera' got Golden Bear nomination at the Berlin International Film Festival (1988) and 'Dooratwa' received Critic's Award at the Locarno Film Festival.
Preservation
Dasgupta has handed over films' negatives to Film Heritage Foundation
All these films were also nominated in other prestigious film festivals, said Dasgupta. Dasgupta, who won National Award multiple times, said he had on Wednesday (November 21) handed over the negatives of some of the five films to the Film Heritage Foundation "so that the films, which are so close to me, can be kept for the next generations for screening."
Initiatives
Dungarpur-led Foundation currently restoring 100 Bengali films, shortlisting cult works
Dasgupta declined to name the films "for some reasons at this stage." He also gave the scripts and other jottings he had made on the films during the shoot to the Foundation Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur for preservation and research. The Foundation is currently busy in the process of restoration and preservation of 100 Bengali films and shortlisting the cult works of different filmmakers.