Cinema between the covers

CHENNAI:

Vivek Raju

has an unending hunger for world cinema. As a filmmaker, his own sensibilities are honed through a vast collection of alternative movies scouted out of hours spent online. But interestingly, some of his most unanticipated inspiration comes from a few

libraries

and bookstores that have taken upon themselves the task of creating a parallel

cinema

movement in the city. Their modus operandi is to get young filmmakers, audiences, technicians and even industry biggies to chip in.

"Many times, producers and fellow filmmakers tend to succumb to their cynicism and non-belief over the ability of an audience to appreciate a good film. These community events have reassured me as they cement my own belief as a filmmaker and, more importantly, as a viewer, that we are living, breathing people capable of thoughts and feelings, not just consumers of short-term gratification," he says.

Ten years ago, film graduate Arun M started an ambitious movement to develop a parallel cinema culture in Tamil Nadu and called it Tamizh Studio. Since then, it has grown in volume and activity, conducting regular film technique workshops, film appreciation sessions with established directors and cinematographers, talks on lesser-known, coming-of-age films and discussions. Three years ago, Arun decided that the perfect platform to further give shape to his vision would be a store dedicated to cinema

books

. The result was Pure Cinema, a book store he started in Vadapalani.

"‘Educating’ is an essential part of what we are trying to achieve," says Arun. "From the beginning, our work has been two-fold – to train technicians and filmmakers with a desire to make independent cinema, and to create audiences with the sensibility to appreciate this work. A bookstore helps serve both," he says.

Pure Cinema bookstore has hosted open-to-all workshops by renowned cinema personalities, including an editing workshop by Lenin and workshops on direction by Ram and Balaji Sakthivel. Complimenting these are a wide selection of books on script-writing, acting and cinematography. "Film students prefer to drop into a space devoted to books on the various aspects of filmmaking, than go through their college library," says Arun. "For instance, in ‘Onayum Aatukuttiyum’, a book by Mysskin (on the making of his film by the same name), he lays out the step-by-step process of how the film came to be, and it is enough to prepare you for your own film," says Arun. The shop also attracts assistant directors and others from the industry.

In September 2013, Saravanan

Subramaniam

started the Panuval bookstore, and alongside it, earmarked a space to hold detailed discussions on art cinema, authors’ meets and film screenings. His logic is that a passionately curated bookstore also has the potential to initiate discussions on the arts among the public.

Panuval has in the past hosted film discussions with documentary filmmakers such as national-award-winner Amshan Kumar and activist R P Amudhan. "More people will be drawn to the bookstore when they drop in but creating a culture of art appreciation is an extension of what we want to do as a bookstore. We have screened movies from around the world that evoke differing responses from an audience, making for engaging discussions afterward," says Saravanan. "Appreciating art is possible when such discussions unfold, because that’s where you learn."