ACF
Asian Cinema Fund
Script Development Fund
2019 Script Development Fund
LIST Black and White Photo
| Category | AFA Project |
|---|---|
| Project | Black and White Photo |
| Director | Rajesh Prasad KHATRI |
| Country | Nepal |
| Director's Profile | Rajesh Prasad Khatri is a Nepalese filmmaker and currently a primary school teacher in his village. He has been active as a theater actor and director for the last 10 years. He has also worked as a production manager for The Black Hen that premiered at Venice Critics Week in 2015 and won FEDEORA Award for best film. His debut short film, A Curious Girl, premiered at Busan International Film Festival 2017 and also won Grand Prix at Berlinale Generation Kplus Competition in 2018. Recently, he completed his short film, A Scarecrow, that had secured President′s Special Recognition Award in the AFA-MPA film pitch competition that he participated as a fellow of Asian Film Academy (AFA) 2018. He is also developing his first feature film, Black and White Photo. |
- Synopsis
- After the late arrival of the exam form at school, Jasu has the pressure to get a pair of black and white passport size photos before the deadline. As his father is out to earn, his lone mother is unable to pay for the photographer who came from the city to the school for a day photo shoot. After taking a loan with a high interest from the headman of the village, the photo of Jasu was taken, but in the late evening. All students have a photo in their hands except Jasu on the day the photos are distributed. Jasu and his mother rush to the city by walking two full days where they face a series of hurdles. Jasu managed to take a photo but it was too late. Taking the Principal′s advice, mother again starts the journey to the capital city with the least hope to seek the possibility of his son′s exam form. Eventually, board exam starts but Jasu′s mother isn′t able to make the favor. He cannot hold the pain of the situation and is compelled to a path diverged towards the father′s path (India) for nothing more than to hide his agony.
- Director's Note
- Nepal, a country full of mountains where most rivers flow southward towards the great country of India. Thousand dreams of Nepalese villages also flow along with the waters, eventually sediment down in the bottom of the rivers in INDIA just for food, two times a day. The sweat drops hidden by the cold of the mountains start flowing endlessly in the heat of India. For how long will the skills of the hands, polished by the landscapes of our country be used for the neighboring country only? For how long likewise my students will have to leave the country just to hide their agony? For how long will our students have to kill their dreams just because of these small issues in this modern age of virtual imagery? Behind the curtains, I am continuing my search for the answers. This story is not just a script for a film; in it, there are stories of each individual′s cold settlements, broken dreams, and their tears along with my experience, and, most of all, these are the stories of truth.
- Festivals
- Still Cut