Channel 4 filmmaker now turns gaze on Kolkata auction house

British filmmaker Ed Owles, who is currently in Kolkata to shoot his upcoming documentary 'The Auction House', says he finds the city incredibly lively.
"I felt frustrated when I first landed here. But finally I could see the pattern in the chaos. Standing up on the street and listening to conversation is always a cathartic experience for a filmmaker in a city like Kollkata.
"Despite the maddening crowd and rows of shops, there is a synergy in the all round confusion," Owles said at the British Council pavilion of Kolkata Book Fair after a discourse with the British Deputy High Commissioner here.

The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the high-end objects. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last one to remain. Run by younger brother Arshad for the last 40 years, the exchange faces the prospect of closure but not yet, Owles said.
Resembling the spirit of Kolkata, elder brother Anwer mulls over using his management knowledge from West to bring the exchange into the 21st century.
Through the portrayal of the two brothers, I seek to portray the whole city and its people who face the future but remain rooted to their past, Owles said.

Owles, who had been to Libya for similar documentary missions, believed both journalists and film makers are blessed with the craft of developing stories.
"As chronicler of events we can record history, not change history," the self-confessed North Kolkata lover, having made films for NGOs and arts organisations across the globe, signed off.