Film/Stage
Award-Winning Punjabi Film “Qissa”:
Theatrical Release in Toronto -
October 3 - 9, 2014
NEWS REPORT
"Saw brilliant masterpiece @qissa. Director #anupsingh is genius - the film's a powerful dream ..." (Mira Nair)
“I saw a brilliant Punjabi film called Qissa, which I think is completely different from anything else that comes out as alternative cinema from Mumbai. There was some calmness to it, which is contemplative; even lovely. It’s a different kind of cinema. It’s not about gangsters, so it’s a real break.” (Deepa Mehta)
The award-winning and festival darling, Anup Singh’s Punjabi film "Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost," will begin an exclusive one week theatrical run at the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Bell Lightbox in advance of an expanded national release planned to coincide with the film's worldwide premiere.
Set in the post-Partition era, Qissa is a gut-wrenching story about fractured identities, cultural expectations and striving for a sense of security and continuity in a world turned upside down.
Umber Singh (played by Irrfan Khan), a Sikh survivor of the Partition is struggling to forge a new life in a newly created India but the repercussions of his traumatic experience have extreme and lasting consequences for his family and their own emerging identities.
In addition to Khan, Qissa boasts a critically acclaimed and award winning performance from Tillotama Shoma (Alice, Monsoon Wedding) and stellar turns from supporting players Tisca Chopra and newcomer Rasika Duggal.
Qissa is an Indo-European venture, a co-production between India, Germany, The Netherlands and France.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
After a Netcap Award Winning World Premiere at TIFF 2013, Qissa has earned international acclaim as the Opening Night Gala at the prestigious International Film Festival of Rotterdam and at the Curaçao International Film Festival, among a slew of other honours including:
* Winner - NETPAC Award- Best World or International Film at Toronto International Film Festival ("TIFF") 2013
* Winner -The Dioraphte Award - Audience Choice at International Film Festival of Rotterdam
* Winner - India Gold - Best Film at Mumbai International Film Festival
* Winner - INALCO Jury Award - Vesoul Asian Film Festival
* Winner - Best Actress - Tillotama Shome at Abu Dhabu International Film Festival
* Winner - Best Actress- Tillotama Shome at International Film Festival of Queensland
* Winner - Best Actor - Irrfan Khan at International Film Festival of Queensland
Please CLICK here for more info and to purchase tickets.
October 1, 2014
Conversation about this article
1: Kaala Singh (Punjab), October 01, 2014, 1:12 PM.
Most of the stuff that comes out of Bollywood has no substance to it. Most of the Hindi movies are made to cater to the taste of an audience whose minds and intellect are not developed enough to appreciate movies like "Qissa" which don't have sleazy dance numbers and stupid characters.
2: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), October 01, 2014, 6:44 PM.
To have an approbation from Mira Nair, herself a brilliant Director, declaring "Qissa" a masterpiece is akin to getting an Oscar. Congratulations to the Director, Anup Singh. We need more of such films from your stable.
3: Manbir Banwait (Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada), October 03, 2014, 3:04 AM.
Hopefully "Qissa" will be released on Apple TV and/or be showcased at VIFF. It would be brilliant to see this film soar.