Thithi (film)
| Thithi | |
|---|---|
 Thithi Official Poster | |
| Directed by | Raam Reddy |
| Produced by |
Pratap Reddy Sunmin Park |
| Screenplay by |
Eregowda Raam Reddy |
| Story by | Raam Reddy |
| Starring |
Thammegowda S. Channegowda Abhishek H. N. Pooja S. M. |
| Cinematography | Doron Tempert |
| Edited by |
John Zimmerman Raam Reddy |
Production company |
Prspctvs Productions Maxmedia |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
Thithi (Kannada: ತಿಥಿ) is a 2016 Kannada-language film written and directed by Raam Reddy.[1] Consisting of a cast of non-professional actors from villages in the Mandya district of Karnataka, the film is a light-hearted story about three generations of men reacting to the death of their 101-year old patriarch.
The film premiered at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival on August 8, 2015 where it won the Golden Leopard in the Filmmakers of the Present category for Reddy as well as the Swatch First Feature award.[2] The film then went on to win numerous other awards at film festivals held in Mumbai, Palm Springs, Marrakech and various other cities. The film was also invited to be a part of the 45th edition of New Directors/New Films.
At the 63rd National Film Awards, the film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada[3] Thithi is slated for a national theatrical release in India.
Plot
Thithi is a dramatic comedy about how three generations of sons react to the death of the oldest in their clan, a man named Century Gowda: a locally renowned, highly cantankerous 101-year-old man. Set in a remote village in South India, the three storylines intertwine before converging at Century Gowda’s ‘thithi’ — the final funeral celebration, 11 days after a death.
Century Gowda’s eldest son, Gadappa (literally translating to “Beard Man”), is himself a little old man who spends his time nonchalantly wandering the village fields, puffing cheap cigarettes and swigging brandy. Gadappa’s far more materialistic son, Thamanna, plots to illegally sell Century Gowda’s five-acre property, even though the land officially belongs to his father. At the same time, Thamanna’s confident pubescent son, Abhi, shrugs his responsibilities to relentlessly pursue a shepherd girl.
Cast
- Channegowda as Gadappa
- Thammegowda as Thamanna
- Abhishek H. N. as Abhi
- Pooja S. M. as Cauvery
- Singri Gowda as Century Gowda
Reception
Thithi has received largely positive reviews on the International front with The Hollywood Reporter calling it "a whimsically enjoyable encounter with some slippery backwoods characters."[4] Clayton Dillard of Slant Magazine gave the film 3 stars and said that "the film packs in a miniseries worth of conflict" and that it "possesses the spirit of Yasujirō Ozu."[5] In an enthusiastic review, Daniel Kasman from MUBI had this to say: "A film that is funny, humane, and seemingly effortless, this young director has coaxed from a massive cast and a specific setting a great deal of character, an evocation of a locality and its society, and wrapped it all in a Renoirian understanding of human behavior. The film is a real pleasure."[6]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 63rd National Film Awards | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada | Prspctvs Productions Pvt Ltd. Raam Reddy |
Won |
| 68th Locarno International Film Festival | Golden Leopard - Filmmakers of the Present | Raam Reddy | Won | |
| Swatch Best First Feature | Raam Reddy | Won | ||
| Mumbai Film Festival | Jury Grand Prize | Raam Reddy | Won | |
| Marrakech International Film Festival | The Jury Prize for Best Director | Raam Reddy | Won | |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | New Voices/New Visions Special Jury Mention | Raam Reddy | Won | |
| New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize | Raam Reddy | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Pune International Film Festival | Best Director | Raam Reddy | Won |
| 8th Bengaluru International Film Festival | Best Asian Film | Raam Reddy | Won | |
| San Francisco International Film Festival | Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award | Raam Reddy | TBA | |
References
- ↑ "Thithi director Raam Reddy on awards and more". 26 February 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ "Kannada Film 'Thithi' Wins Two Awards at Locarno International Film Fest". 16 August 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ "‘Thithi’ is Best Kannada Film at NFA". 29 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/thithi-mumbai-review-839010
- ↑ http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/thithi
- ↑ https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/locarno-2015-day-4