Simpson Center for the Humanities
Communications 120 (CMU 120)
University of Washington, Seattle, Oct 4th, 4:00 PM

FILM INDUSTRY DAY 3: SYMPOSIUM SOUTH ASIAN FILM & RISE OF NATIONALISM

Film Festival Symposium

This symposium brings together filmmakers, academics, and activists who will together meditate on the challenges and opportunities of making films in the New South Asia.

Topics include but are not limited to:

  • Filmmaking and politics.
  • The role of independent and documentary cinema.
  • The popularity and challenges of digital film making platforms.

Panelists are

Anand Patwardhan (Reason): Anand Patwardhan has been making political documentaries for over four decades, pursuing diverse issues that are at the crux of socio-political life in India. Many of his films were at one time or another banned by the censors and by State television channels and became the subject of litigation. Anand, who successfully challenged these censorship rulings in court, has also been active in movements for communal harmony as well as movements against unjust, unsustainable development; casteism; militarism; and nuclear nationalism.

Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam (The Sweet Requiem): Ritu Sarin finished her MFA in film and video from the California College of Arts. Tenzing was born in Darjeeling in northeastern India to Tibetan refugee parents. He studied broadcast journalism at the University of California, Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.  Their work has primarily focused on the subject of Tibet and has attempted to document, question and reflect on the issues of exile, identity, culture and politics that confront the Tibetan people.  Ritu and Tenzing are the directors of the Dharamshala International Film Festival, which they founded in 2012.

Syed Muhammad Hassan Zaidi (Dunkey Following European Dreams): Hassan Zaidi is a filmmaker/ Lecturer at The Film and Television Department, National College of Arts in Lahore. He is also completing his Masters in Multimedia Studies from the National College of Arts, Lahore.

This symposium is organized in collaboration with the South Asia Center at the University of Washington Seattle.