Communicating in the universal language of cinema

Braun and Agrelo urged students to use social media in order to make an impact. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

KARACHI: 

Picture this: Abdullah Shahmeer, a young student, has a plot to share. A story of a 14-year-old boy who wants to pursue his interest in writing, but coming from a land-aristocracy background and its traditional values, he is shunned by his landlord father when he reveals his interest. The plot thickens when he plans to rebel against the norms of his class structure.

“Scenes are little stories about people wanting things badly,” said Ted Braun, who was one of two American film directors addressing young, aspiring film-makers in attendance at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Szabist) on Tuesday morning.

Braun, along with Marilyn Agrelo, conducted a film-making workshop on ‘The Art of Cinematic Storytelling’ — the foundation of which is laid through a character using which one tells a story. The plot develops accordingly and there is a set style to follow. In the entire story-telling atmosphere, “Hope and fear, together pulls a dramatic question,” added Braun.

Braun stressed on the need to have an impact, and Agrelo said that one needs to teach the audience to watch more.

“I have actually been surprised and enlightened by the young crowd here,” Agrelo said about her experience. “And to see what they go through, it’s very different from the US. I hope they get to make great films here in Pakistan.”

What was Braun taking back from his teaching experience here in Pakistan at this two-day workshop? “I am taking back particular problems and challenges these young film-makers have here in Pakistan. The commonality lies on the line of shared dreams and of course the love for cinema. Cinema is a universal language which the audience can understand on a global level.”

He even gave a tip to aspiring young film-makers, saying, “For emerging young talent, film-making and social media tools can get the stories out. This is just beginning to develop here in Pakistan, where we see the old and the new coming together. Pakistan is a very entrepreneurial society; there is a desire to do something in everyone out here. You can certainly feel it.”

As many as 40 students enrolled in the workshop from various institutes of Pakistan, including Hyderabad and Quetta. Shehram Mokhtar, Head of Media Sciences, Szabist said, “A very diverse group of young people are present in the audience, and have delivered a very positive feedback. Our only desire was exposure for these young film-makers, so that they can learn about the general techniques of storytelling.”

The two day film-making workshop ended on Tuesday evening at Szabist, Clifton campus

A tour across the musical landscape of France

Juliette de Massy came across as an effervescent, sensitive, warm, friendly performer, passionately involved in her work, with a store of musical intelligence. She performed at the Alliance Francaise on Tuesday evening. PHOTOS COURTESY: ALLIANCE FRANCAISE

KARACHI: I must confess that I am not an expert in French poetry set to music. That is probably why I could not recognise any of the melodies that were sung in a rhythmically strong performance by the soprano Juliette de Massy on Tuesday evening at the Alliance Francaise in Karachi, as she took the audience on a compelling musical journey across the landscape of France.

In fact, the only melody with which I was thoroughly familiar was Debussy’s masterpiece Clair de Lune, one of the finest tone poems ever written, which was played to perfection by Samuel Bore. It was the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree and received the widest, loudest and longest applause in the evening’s entertainment.

I tend to gravitate more towards opera, especially the works of Mozart, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Verdi and Massanet, and the instrumental music of Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Albeniz, Tarrega, Manuel de Falla and Turina. And yet, curiously enough, two of the three arias that I enjoy the most and those that give me immense pleasure when I listen to them are by Frenchman – the Berceuse from Joycelyn by Benjamin  Goddard, the only composition that has survived from his repertoire and  Printemps sa commence by Camille St. Saens, which is a great favourite with opera-goers.

De Massy must be congratulated for bringing virtually unknown vocal gems to the public’s attention. She does not have a huge voice but she knows how to use it. She came across as an effervescent, sensitive, warm, friendly performer, passionately involved in her work, with a store of musical intelligence. She had none of those ‘diva moments’ or quirks that some sopranos suffer from.

She was passionately interested in her songs and was extremely helpful by giving short introductions to the pieces she sang. Her diction was perfect. Her poise was remarkable. Now and then she gave a wry smile when members of the audience started to applaud before she has finished her song. The audience loved her.

They also loved Samuel Bore. He made a jolly good accompanist and also gave a polished performance when he was doing a solo on the keyboard, never putting a finger wrong, quick to recognise the music’s nooks and crannies.

Debussy who featured in the programme was among the greatest and most important of 20th century composers, both by reason of his own achievements and by the paths he opened for others to explore. His use of block-chords, of harmony with a modal flavour and based on the whole-tone scale, the delicate colours of his orchestration and his technique of layering sounds, yet wholly lyrical style of his vocal writing proclaim him as an innovator of the first degree. The contrast with Poulenc who also appeared in the musical fare is interesting. Poulenc’s music is eclectic yet strongly personal in style. It is essentially diatonic and melodious embroidered with 20th century dissonances derived possibly from the mixture of gaiety and manic depression.

On a purely personal note, I have a suggestion for the future. When Roberto Franceschinis, the Italian consul asked me a year ago what kind of music would go down well in Karachi, I answered unhesitatingly ‘i canzone di Napoli’ (Neapolitan folk songs). I believe the Alliance Francaise could also have a bash at something similar, such as Cabaret – the kind of songs that were immortalised by Maurice Chevalier, Tino Rossi, Lucienne Boyer and Edith Piaf that evoked the ambiance of Marcel Pagnol’s films. …There is no substitute for melody and lyricism, messieurs. It has been known to work every time.

Dead Indian guru in freezer for 'deep meditation'

A hoarding featuring an image of Indian spiritual leader Ashutosh Maharaj stands outside the Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan in Nurmahal on the outskirts of Jalandhar on March 11, 2014. PHOTO: AFP

CHANDIGARH: An Indian guru declared dead has been in a deep freezer in his ashram for nearly six weeks with followers confident he will return to life to lead them, his spokesperson said.

Devotees placed Ashutosh Maharaj, whom authorities declared clinically dead on January 29, in the freezer and have been watching over his body in the sprawling ashram in a small town in northern Punjab state.

Maharaj, reportedly in his 70s, is one of India’s many gurus or god-men who headed the Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (Divine Light Awakening Mission) and claims to have millions of followers around the world.

Mission spokesperson Swami Vishalanand insisted their leader was not dead but was in fact in a state of samadhi, the highest level of meditation, and was therefore still conscious.

Vishalanand told AFP that followers were now waiting for him to end his meditation. Until then, the ashram in Nurmahal town would stay open with followers performing their own mediations and spiritual sessions.

“Mahara-ji (a Hindi term of respect) is still sending messages through followers in their meditative stage to protect his body till he returns,” he said earlier this week.

The decision to place him in the freezer was challenged in court by a man claiming to be his former driver, who alleged several followers were not releasing the body as they were seeking a share of the guru’s properties, local media reports said.

But the court rejected the man’s petition after receiving information from authorities confirming his death, reportedly from a heart attack, said Reeta Kohli, additional advocate general of Punjab state.

“The court rejected his pleas after the Punjab government said that the man is clinically dead and that it is up to his followers to decide what they want to do with the body,” Kohli told AFP.

Senior district police officer Gurinder Singh Dhillon said police “cannot interfere” now that the court has made its ruling.

Maharaj’s website, which says the mission was founded in 1983 and has spiritual centres around the world, has thanked its followers for standing by the mission while the guru undertakes his meditation.

Vishalanand said scores of spiritual leaders throughout history have traveled to the Himalayas for months of samadhi in freezing temperatures, before returning to life.

Another spokesperson, who heads a nearby village where many of Maharaj’s followers are living, has told local media that they will simply wait.

“When we close our eyes, we can talk to the Maharaj, who has assured us he will come back,” Lakhwinder Singh told the Indian Express newspaper.

Going under the knife again

The Oscar winner is doing everything in her power to stay alive and well. PHOTO: FILE

Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie shocked fans worldwide back in May 2013, when she revealed that she had undergone a preventive double mastectomy. “I decided to be proactive and to minimise the risk as much I could,” she said at the time, reports BBC.

Brad Pitt’s other half is unfortunately not only very prone to suffering from breast cancer, but also ovarian cancer, reports E! Online. Jolie also has an approximately 50% risk of developing ovarian cancer, of which her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died from at the age of only 56.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Oscar-winner revealed her journey to stay healthy is far from over. “There’s still another surgery to have, which I haven’t yet,” theMaleficent actor explained. “I’ll get advice from all these wonderful people who’ve I’ve been talking to, to get through the next stage.”

Despite the prospect of more surgery, the mother of six couldn’t be more positive. “I’m great! I’m very happy I made the decision,” she said of her mastectomy. “I was very fortunate to have great doctors and very, very fortunate to have a good recovery.”

Jolie also went on to relate to others going through illness. “Wherever I go, usually I run into women and we talk about health issues, women’s issues, breast cancer, ovarian cancer. I’ve talked to men about their daughters’ and wives’ health. It makes me feel closer to other people who deal with the same things and have either lost their parents or are considering surgeries or wondering about their children…The reason that I wrote it was to try to communicate and help and connect with other women and other families going through the same thing. And …I was very, very moved by all the support and kindness from so many people.”

In conversation with Om Puri

The legendary actor has portrayed many Pakistani characters, and will next be seen as General Kiyani. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: 

If there is one person that does not need an introduction, it would have to be Om Puri. One of the most recognised South Asian personalities across the world, Puri is currently in Lahore for the first time with his new play Teri Amrita. From East is Eastto Charlie Wilson’s War, Puri has played a vast array of Pakistani personalities and characters and he is now setting out to portray General Kiyani in a biopic on arguably the most famous Pakistani of our time, Malala Yousafzai.

“It was very noble what General Kiyani did for Malala,” says Om Puri in an exclusive tête-à-tête with The Express Tribune, “I am excited to portray him in the film.” Actors have a very delicate job to perform when portraying a real life character, “it is important to capture the essence of the person but not imitate him/her, and that is the most important thing one has to do when playing a real person,” says Puri.

Puri talks about the process used to prepare for the role. What he describes as his method falls directly in line with the teachings of Stanislavski’s approach to realistic acting. “For every character, one needs to mentally create a back story that becomes a reference point for your reactions, the emotional part of the character helps analyse how the character feels about different situations, and finally it is the physical manifestation of the role.”

His work has been very eclectic from villainous characters to comedic ones, Om Puri has done it all. He has found the most satisfaction in working on socially relevant films thus far in his career. “I was never considered the most sell-able star, and hence had to create a niche for myself that worked,” continues Puri, “while commercial films have improved, films on hard pressing issues are missing from the industry and even when they are made, the issue is sugar coated and depicted in a softer manner.”

In Charlie Wilson’s War, Puri portrayed the Pakistani dictator Ziaul Haq. “I really enjoyed playing Ziaul Haq,” he says of the experience, “I still remember when we were discussing the character. I told the director that Zia-ul-Haq had a gold tooth, they had one made for me and I have saved it as a souvenir.”

Om Puri’s love for Pakistan stems from his encounters with Pakistani people all around the globe. “The love and affection I have gotten from Pakistanis across the world has been extraordinary.” He remembers an incident from back in the 90s while filming My Son the Fanatic in London, when his son wanted to eat bhindi (lady fingers). In order to fulfill his son’s wishes, Puri ventured out to South Hall. “After I had selected all the vegetables I wanted to get, I proceeded to the cashier and the gentleman was a Pakistani who recognised me. He did not let me pay for the vegetables and said ‘you have given us so much joy and we have enjoyed your work so much that it is ethically wrong for me to take money from you’.”

The hard-hitting reality of Indo-Pak politics dictates an animosity between the two nations but on a personal level, people have found great friendships across the border. “It has been my lifelong dream to visit Pakistan and when I crossed the border yesterday into Lahore, I felt like I had just been born,” confesses Puri. “I tried looking for differences between the two countries, and what would be something new to see, but I didn’t find any. After all we are the same people and our lifetime apart is only a minute fraction of our history.”

While he presses on the point that life is too short to have grudges and grievances, he also highlights the fact that there are people around the world who fail to understand humanity and cause trouble not only for themselves, but also for those around them. “We all have to die one day, whether it is in a bomb blast or due to some illness. What is important to understand is that those trying to pull us apart are not strong enough if we are determined to stand up for what is right.”

Bayern Munich president Hoeness sentenced to three and a half years in prison for tax evasion

The 62-year-old had admitted to owing approximately €27.2 million in taxes through an undisclosed bank account but had hoped to avoid jail time

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for tax evasion.

The 62-year-old had admitted to owing approximately €27.2 million in taxes through an undisclosed Swiss bank account. His defence team had hoped his confession would enable him to avoid jail time.

The prosecution demanded that Hoeness be sentenced to five and a half years for failing to declare his full income between 2003 and 2009.

Under German law, Hoeness could have escaped prosecution by successfully filing a voluntary disclosure but when he did so last year, it was rejected as the documents were incorrect or incomplete.

The former forward won four Bundesliga titles and three European Cups during his playing days with Bayern and has been involved in administrative roles with the Bavarian club ever since his retirement, serving first as general manager and then as president.

The case has prompted thousands to pre-emptively pay back taxes in order to avoid possible prosecution, with the number expected to increase over the coming years

Bahria Town Hospital sends doctors to Thar

Villagers wait to receive relief supplies outside a military camp in Mithi, the capital of Tharparkar district, some 300 kilometres from Karachi on March 11, 2014. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE: 

A medical mission, including mobile medical units with doctors and paramedical staff from the Bahria Town Hospital left for Tharparkar on Wednesday.

These units are carrying ECG and ultrasound machines along with an examination laboratory and dispensary. The team consists of qualified doctors and paramedical staff, trained to deal with emergency and epidemic situations.

Addressing the medical team, chairman of Bahria Town Malik Riaz said that his organisation realises the suffering of the Tharis and will do whatever he can to help them out.

He added that the Bahria relief team is already engaged in helping the affected while the Bahria Dastarkhuwans are also serving food to the needy twice a day in Mithi, Chhachhro, Diplo and Nagarparkar.

He said that people admitted in the Bahria Town hospitals were provided cash relief, as was promised earlier.

Malik stated that the Bahria team would stay in Thar for the next six months. In the meantime, 200 wells will be drilled to improve the drought conditions in the area.  He said the project would cost tens of millions of rupees which will be spent by Bahria Town alone as it is its policy that it does not accept contributions from public or private resources