New Delhi, Nov 5: Independent feature film “Body”, directed by first-time filmmaker Abhijit Mazumdar, has been chosen as an official selection at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala.
The festival is set to be held in Thiruvananthapuram between December 13 and December 20.
According to a press release, “Body” will screen in the International Competition section at the IFFK.
Set in the post-pandemic era, the 142-minute film follows Manoj, a young struggling actor still trying to cope with his personal trauma. He befriends a little boy living in the opposite apartment who is regularly abused by his father, a discovery that sets Manoj off on a complex journey of uncertainty and intrigue.
Mazumdar, a Film & Television Institute of India graduate, said “Body” is inspired by a recurring dream of finding himself naked amid people.
“What does it mean to be truly naked? A feeling of quiet desperation over time kept bringing this image back to my mind. An image of a naked man in public, which reveals the dimensions of horror, pain and confusion. What is abstract? How do we arrive there through the process of working with real space and time? What impact does it have on the audience? And most importantly, what is real?
“When Manoj begins to strip in public places, I try to delve into these questions. The horrific images of the pandemic are etched in his mind. He frantically tries to replace them with new images. My effort is to trace the journey of his troubled mind,” the director said in a statement.
“Body” stars Manoj Sharma, Khushboo Upadhyay, Sunil Shanbag, Sandeep Shridhar Dhabale, Amol Deshmukh, Jatin Negi, Kritika Pande, Shivam Parekh, Sarthak Pandey.
Mazumdar has also written the film, which is produced by Amala Popuri. Aashish Dubey is on board as associate producer. (PTI)
Judy Greer, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman to team up for ‘Chili Finger’
Los Angeles, Nov 5: Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman are set to star in the upcoming dark comedy feature film “Chili Finger”.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, first-time filmmaker duo Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad will co-direct the movie.
Helstad wrote the script of “Chili Finger”, which also has Goodman on board as an executive producer.
“Chili Finger” revolves around a recently empty-nested mother, played by Greer known for her work in “13 Going On 30” and “The Last Thing He Told Me”, who discovers a human finger in her bowl of fast-food chili. When she blackmails the restaurant for a cash payout, the situation spirals out of control and her life descends into chaos.
Character details of Astin (“Lord of the Rings” trilogy), Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) and Goodman (“The Flintstones”) are being kept under wraps.
“Permanent Collection” actor Sarah Herrman and Paul Stanko (“The Brothers Sun” also round out the cast of “Chili Finger”.
The film, set to begin production next spring, is backed by Beyond the Porch and Gold Tree Studios.
Sam Sandweiss (Darkwell Entertainment), Tim Chonacas (Gold Tree Studios) and Jo Henriquez are attached as producers.
