N/A
More than a century ago, large scale gold mining was begun at Kolar Gold Field, Mysore. At its peak, the mines employed 36,000 workers who braved the dangerous labour and built a new life in the mining camp. Today, many third and fourth generation gold miners face the threat of not just unemployment but displacement from the area they have made their own. This film is a tribute to the "labouring lions" of Kolar Gold Field, a historical reconstruction of their work, culture and rich political traditions.
Films Division, decides to make a documentary film on the renowned filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Officials from the Films Division go to Mrinal Sen’s house in Kolkata to officially propose the making of the documentary film on him.
Dear Chalam can be read as an eulogy for a dear friend, a journey through the landscape of cinema, and of making and sharing films. A poetic assemblage, the film dips into Chalam’s powerful documentary practice, his involvement with the Odessa Collective and commitment to cinema as a people’s movement—all of which come alive as potent strands in a letter that forms the central thread of the film. The film moves beyond a personal remembering of a singular life to think more widely about cinema.
