Kolkata/Paris, September 2023 - Excitement is mounting as the highly acclaimed Bengali film, #Homecoming, is set to dazzle international audiences once again. The film, directed and produced by Soumyajit Majumdar, will serve as the opening film at the prestigious Gange Sur Seine Film Festival in Paris. This much-anticipated event will take place from October 5th to October 8th at the iconic Le Lincoln Cinemas in Paris and will continue with a screening in Toulouse at Le Cretere on October 27th, all as part of the same film festival.
#Homecoming has garnered attention not only for its remarkable storytelling but also for its exceptional cast and crew. The jury for this year's Gange Sur Seine film festival includes French cinema legends Mrs. Sophie Dulac, Mr. Nello Banfi, and Mr. Emmanuel Pierrat.
In addition to its French premiere, #Homecoming has been selected for the META Filmfest, the only International Film Festival in Dubai, taking place from November 8th to November 12th. The film's journey doesn't end there – it is set to grace screens in the United Kingdom as well, thanks to a collaboration between Moringa Entertainment, a London-based production and distribution company owned by Munsur Ali, Chairman of London City Corporation Culture, Heritage, and Libraries Committees, and LOK, facilitating Indo-UK cultural collaborations. Special screenings will take place in the UK during October and November.
"Even after one and a half years from its release as a direct-to-digital on Sonyliv, #Homecoming still continues to break conventions," says Soumyajit Majumdar, the writer, director, and producer of the film. "I am glad to embark on the last leg of the film festival round and international screening tour of #Homecoming across the UK, France, and Dubai. The door to world cinema opened up for me after watching the French new wave cinema of greats like Truffaut, Godard, Agnes Varda, and Eric Rohmer. Screening my debut feature film as a writer-director-producer In Paris at an iconic cinema with French subtitles as the opening film of a film festival will be a memory of a lifetime. I would be back in December to start pre-production of my next film."
Chayan Sarkar, Founder and Artistic Director of the Gange Sur Seine festival, expresses his admiration for #Homecoming's ability to convey a profound message beautifully. The film delves into the desire of individuals living far from their roots to reconnect with their cultural, artistic, and linguistic heritage. It captures the passion and intellectual depth of Kolkata artists and their struggle to preserve their traditions in a changing world.
"The unique style of this film will intrigue French audiences," Sarkar says. "French cinephiles have always appreciated good Bengali cinema, from the days of Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. #Homecoming demonstrates that the State of West Bengal remains at the forefront of 'Nouvelle Vague' experiments when it comes to innovative ways of telling and structuring complex socio-cultural layers of Indian stories. It's a film that must be screened in France."
#Homecoming is not only making waves internationally but has also enjoyed immense popularity on OTT platforms worldwide. As the most viewed feature film from West Bengal, India, on OTT, it has garnered over 14 million views for its trailer on digital media. The film features a talented ensemble cast from Bollywood and Tollywood, including Sayani Gupta, Tushar Pandey, Soham Majumdar, Hussain Dalal, and Plabita Borthakur, and boasts an eclectic multi-genre music album.
The film's storyline revolves around a group of friends and misfits reuniting after seven years on a Durga Puja night in Kolkata. Their reunion takes place in their old rehearsal space, a bungalow about to be converted into Kolkata's first five-star heritage hotel by the Ganges. #Homecoming, a cosmopolitan, multi-lingual film (English/Bengali/Hindi), serves as a musical love letter to Calcutta.
#Homecoming has previously enjoyed a successful international festival run, winning Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress at the 19th annual South Asian International Film Festival in New York, presented by HBO. It has also received accolades such as Best Asian Film at the Tokyo Film Awards, Best Debutant Director, and Best Costume Design at the Jaipur International Film Festival, among others. The film has been screened at more than 20 film festivals worldwide, including the Los Angeles Asian Film Awards, Washington DC South Asian Film Festival, Florence River to River International Film Festival, Vancouver South Asian International Film Festival, London Bengali Film Festival, Boston India International Film Festival, and New Jersey India and International Film Festival.
#Homecoming is a cinematic masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences and break boundaries, showcasing the rich storytelling and artistic prowess of Bengali cinema on the global stage.
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