Need to explore hinterlands: Raam Reddy

Director Raam Reddy, whose Kannada-language drama film "Thithi" was screened at the 1st BRICS Film Festival here on Saturday, says all the countries present at the fest are so diverse that the hinterlands and their uniqueness need to be explored.

The 1st BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Film Festival, which is part of the special events planned in the run-up to the 8th BRICS Summit to be held in India next month, kick-off here at Siri Fort Auditorium Complex on Friday.

And on the second day, at a panel discussion titled Stories From Hinterland, Going Global, Reddy opined that there is an immense amount of raw talent in the small unexplored lands that are wanting to tell something unique.

"Realism is a style, it's something in India that captivated me. Diverse and interesting in so many ways. In hinterlands if you are collaborating with people, they are natural," Reddy said, adding that he also collaborated with people from the villages, behind the camera.

Reddy is best known for his National Award-winning film "Thithi", but has also impressed many with his short films including "Ika" - a Telugu short film.

"The countries that have come together for this festival are so diverse, with so much of diversity within each of their own countries that we need to go into the hinterlands. We need to start exploring the real heroes," he said.

Reddy also finds the common man interesting, and has had a number of real life people portraying themselves.

"I found the common man very cinematic and wanted them to be on the screen. I also like to work with people whom I know in some way. In 'Ika', children from a slum community who were attending a school that my mother runs... I knew them personally. They were so interesting and full of life and dynamic, and had so much to tell," he said.

The discussion had three panellists including Brazilian producer Ana Stella de Almeida Quesado and Mandla Dube, director from South Africa.

The festival will end on September 6 with the screening of Jackie Chan's "Skiptrace".

--IANS

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