Praveen Morchhale

Praveen Morchhaleis the winner of India's 65th National Film Awards as well as ICFT-UNESCO Medal winner film director, producer and screenwriter, who works in Indian cinema.[1]

Praveen Morchhale
Born
Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, India
Alma materInstitute of Rural Management Anand
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter, producer
Years active2013–present

Films

Praveen Morchhale directed his first feature film Barefoot to Goa in 2015. Having started out by making short films and directing theatre, this film turned to crowdfunding prior to its release on 10 April 2015. Co-produced by 238 people who raised a sum of INR 5 million,[2] this film depicted the indulgent relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild.[3]

His next feature "Walking with the Wind" (2017), bagged three prizes at the 65th National Film Awards - Best Film (Ladakhi), Best Sound Design (Sanal George)[4] and Best Re-Recording (Justin Jose).[5] This film was also awarded the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi medal at the 49th International Film Festival of India.[6]

Morchhale's third film, Widow of Silence (2018) is about a Kashmiri woman, Aasiya, whose husband gets picked up by the security forces. After waiting for seven years she is now a 'half-widow', a woman whose husband is missing, facing a government which is unwilling to declare him dead.[7] This Urdu language feature was premiered at the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival on 12 November 2018 after debuting at the 23rd Busan International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Kim Jiseok Award for Best Asian Director. Film later was screened at more than 35 prestigious film festivals around the world such as International Film Festival Rotterdam 2019, Gothenburg Film Festival 2019, Seattle International Film Festival 2019, Jerusalem Film Festival 2019 [8]

Film won 5 International awards and considered as the most important film coming out from India in the year 2019. Film won Best film award at MOOOV Film Fest, 2019 Belgium (Winner Best film award in International competition and Behind the Scene Award).

At the 17th annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, "Widow of Silence" won the Grand Jury prize for the best feature, for its depiction of "a condition that most of the world doesn't get to see".[9]

Critical response

Praveen's all three films have received critical response from all over the world. Widow of Silence has received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.

The New York Times wrote that "“Widow of Silence” is a movie with a cool head and a sharp eye — one that sees greater hope in the flamboyantly jeweled tones of a carmine head scarf than in the entrenched absurdities of a broken bureaucracy.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the least compromised by sentimentality, it packs an unsettling message of empowerment very rare in the social injustice genre.

Roger Ebert.com has a highly praise for the film - "The final four minutes turn what was already a fine picture into an unforgettable one, affirming Morchhale’s status as one of the most exciting figures of the Indian new wave."

Devarshi Ghosh wrote on Scroll.in that "Hope is a running theme in Morchhale’s films". According to her, "In Widow of Silence, Aasiya’s hope leads to a jarring poetic justice. “The end signifies not just the end of the villain but also of the system”".

Reviewing the film for the Asian Movie Pulse (AMP),[10] Joanna KOŃCZAK noted that "Morchhale has undoubtedly brought up important issues and gave the voice to the people of the Valley, dwelling on their suffering and sorrows without a preachy tone and exaggerated melodrama. It is very rare for Indian filmmakers to take on the Kashmiri case in such an emphatic and problem-focused manner." [11]

Belgian distributor MOOOV has picked up Benelux rights from Oration Films to Praveen Morchhale’s Kashmir-set Widow Of Silence. The deal for all rights excluding airlines marks the first for the film.[12]

Inspiration

Morchhale has been noted for his subtle, natural and simplistic style of cinema and he mostly uses non-actors in his films.[13] He takes his inspiration from Iranian Cinema, especially directors like Abbas Kiarostami whom he considers an "epitome of simple cinema...who uses the film medium to express stories in a minimalist way...without worrying too much about commercial aspects.".[14]

Filmography

As director
YearTitleCastReleaseFestivals
2018Widow of SilenceAjay Chourey (Officer), Shilpi Marwaha (Aasiya), Bilal Ahmad (Driver), Noorjahan (Inaya)10 Oct 2018Premiered at Busan International Film Festival, Korea 2018

Kolkata International Film Festival on 12 November 2018. Selected for International Film Festival Rotterdam 2019.

2017Walking with the WindAjay Chourey (Biker), Rigzin Dolkar (Mother), Phuntsog Dolma (Daughter), Sachi Joko (Japanese Documentary Maker), Phunchok Toldan (Father), Sonam Wangyal (Boy)12 October 2017Winner of three National Awards - Best Film (Ladakhi), Best Sound Design (Sanal George) and Best Re-Recording (Justin Jose)
2015Barefoot to GoaSonu Chourasia, Ajay Chourey, Farrukh Jaffar (Grandmother)10 April 2015Crowdfunded

As producer
YearTitleLanguage
2018Widow of SilenceUrdu
2017Walking with the WindLadakhi
2015Barefoot to GoaHindi

References
  1. "Praveen Morchhale at IFFR". IFFR. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  2. "238 producers 'crowd fund' this movie". The Hindu. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  3. Aashmita Nayar (5 February 2015). "Film 'Barefoot To Goa' Will Make You Want To Call Your Grandparents Immediately". Huffington Post. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. "On the same wavelength". The Hindu. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  5. Roshmila Bhattacharya (9 January 2019). "Praveen Morchhale:Got my National Award medal and citation at IFFI". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  6. "49th IFFI ends with glittering ceremony". All India Radio. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  7. Devarsi Ghosh (12 November 2018). "In 'Widow of Silence', a resilient Kashmiri woman looks for her disappeared husband". Scroll. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  8. "Indian film Widow of Silence gets selected for International Film Festival Rotterdam 2019". New Indian Express. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  9. Marjohn Sheikhi (17 April 2019). "Women have more powerful stories to tell, Indian director Praveen Morchhale says". Mehr News Iran. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  10. "Asian Movie Pulse - News, Reviews, Trailers, Interviews And More". Asian Movie Pulse.
  11. Kończak, Joanna (30 January 2019). "Film review: Widow of Silence (2018) by Praveen Morchhale".
  12. Jeremy Kay. "'Widow Of Silence' finds Belgian buyer for Oration Films". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  13. "Walking with the Wind". PIFFIndia. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  14. Murtaza Ali Khan (19 December 2017). "Location is always an important character: Praveen Mochchale". TheHindu. Retrieved 28 May 2019.


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