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Didn't think will have to bid adieu to master during shooting: 'Adieu Godard' director

Didnt think will have to bid adieu to master during shooting: Adieu Godard director
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kolkata: Director Amartya Bhattacharyya felt numb for a moment when a social media message popped up on Tuesday about the demise of Jean-Luc Godard, the godfather of France's new wave cinema at the age of 91.

Bhattacharyya's Odia film 'Adieu Godard' is running at the theatres in Odisha. Come September 16 and the film will be released in Kolkata and Mumbai. Though 'Adieu Godard' was a tribute to the iconic French-Swiss director, Bhattacharyya never imagined there would come a day when his film would run at theatres and his 'inspiration' would leave the world forever.

Often known for revolutionising cinema and breaking all rules of filmmaking, Godard's cinema influenced Martin Scorsese to a movie buff. Bhattacharyya, too, was highly inspired by Godard films and thus born was 'Adieu Godard', which won the Best film award in the Indian Language competition at the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival 2022.

But Bhattacharyya never realised the title of his film would become so grim. "Post Godard's demise, the film will become relevant in a different way, which I personally didn't want. When I made the film, I actually didn't think I would actually have to bid adieu to the master. 'Adieu Godard' is a tribute to the master in a hilarious way, not in a grave way," said the National Award-winning filmmaker.

For the Kolkata-based director, the demise of Godard marks a 'black day' for world cinema. "All over social media, people are writing 'Adieu Godard'. They are not promoting my film, they are bidding adieu to the genius. I always wanted to pay tribute to Godard and I did through my film in my own way. But I never imagined, the inevitable will hit us so hard and that, too, at such a coincidental time when my film is running in Odisha and is about to release in Mumbai and Kolkata," he said.

In 'Adieu Godard', Bhattacharyya shows how a porn-addicted old villager Ananda chances upon Godard's classic 'Breathless' (1960) and gets fascinated by his films. So much so that Ananda decides to host a film festival in his village on Godard.

Just like Ananda, Bhattacharyya, too, is enamoured by the French director who was a crucial figure in the Nouvelle Vague. From Breathless, Masculin Feminin, A Woman Is a Woman, to Our Music and Goodbye to Language, the young director grew up on Godard's filmography.

"Breathless is such a celebrated film. But people must look beyond it. One has to cultivate Godard a lot. I am still cultivating. As long as cinema will be alive, Godard will be alive," said Bhattacharyya.

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