Programme
Dates
Sat 18 May | 15.00 - 17.30
Location
Club Korzo
Artist
Rahat Mahajan
Ticket price
€ 0
Star-crossed lovers meet across time, space and ancient myth in this visually stunning, romantically ravishing journey through the cosmic cycle of life and death
Rahat Mahajans film The Cloud Messenger is a visually stunning, romantic journey about star-crossed lovers who meet across time, space and ancient myth. Studying in a colonial-era boarding school in the Himalayan mountains, Jaivardhana is an insolent and mischievous sixteen-year-old who finds it hard to balance his world within the rigid and mundane structures of school, and his newfound attraction towards another student, Tarini.
As the tale unfolds, we begin to realise their roles as timeless lovers in a mythical tale, meeting in the present day after several centuries of longing, and leading up to the death of Tarini in this life as well. As the whole universe conspires to break the ancient curse, this tale of eternal love can only end if Jaivardhana travels to the land of death itself. The story of Meghdoot is where myth and reality merge, giving birth to something new. Where we witness the dream of a boy, merging with the cosmic dream.
Rahat’s very first film Memoirs of an Apple, won the first prize at the IDPA film festival in 2006 and was aired on Indian national television. Shortly after, he started working in the Mumbai film industry, starting out as an assistant director to Vishal Bhardwaj and ultimately spearheading Visual Promotions for several acclaimed feature films including Kaminey, Ishqiya and Udaan. To hone his filmmaking skills further, Rahat enrolled for an M.F.A. at the Art Center College of Design in 2012. He developed various projects at the school in collaboration with mentors and his short film Istifa/Resignation was a national finalist in the narrative category for the 41st Student Academy Awards in 2014. His debut feature f ilm Meghdoot/The Cloud Messenger was in the Tiger Competition at The International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2022 and further travelled to BFI London Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival and several other festivals across the globe. The film recently won the Special Jury Mention at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2023.
Writer, Director & Editor: Rahat Mahajan
Cast: Ritvik Tyagi, Ahalya Shetty, Raj Zutshi, Kapila Venu, Peesappilly Rajeevan, Lalita Shivani, Sadanand Bhasi, Daljit Sean Singh
Producer: Sanjay Singh
Co-Producers: Rahat Mahajan, Nalin Agarwal
Director of Photography: Rahat Mahajan, Anil Pingua
Music: Nikhel Kumar Mahajan
Sound Designer: Kunal Sharma Production
Design: Rahat Mahajan
Costumes: Tanya Sharma, Kundilarambath Lakshmanan
