Relevant Non-White Filmmakers for the Criterion Collection

[ravenus]

This is in response to the huge discussion that occurred on the Criterion Collection thread about the representation of Afro-American and other non-white film-makers in the Collection. While I believe that any business not dependent on public funds / subsidies has the right to decide its own product catalog, there is a feeling that the Criterion label serves as a world cinema school for many people who look to it for recommendations of films and makers they would otherwise not have heard of.

So as a constructive response, we can talk about relevant non-white film-makers and their works that we think would enrich the Collection. If you're bringing in a new name, it would be nice to hear a description/opinion of the maker and why you feel his/her work is a good fit. Also, let's try to avoid makers whose works are already well-represented in other labels, like Spike Lee (supplements are nice, but they are in the end supplements, not the main reason why we watch films).

I'll chime in with some of my choices later, but in the meanwhile, please feel free to kick off

[ArtVanderlay]

Mani Ratnam - His recent work hasn't impressed me as much as his pre-2010 output but I feel he's criminally ignored on the physical media front.

..and Lagaan on blu ray would be great

[Nailwraps]

This should probably belong in the wishlist section but since you asked:

Jordan Peele - He started out life as a comedian and actor and made a big leap to an amazing film director and a now a big name in the horror community. My recommendation would be Get Out (his directorial debut).

[Kleeberg]

The Hughes Brothers.

Technically they're in the collection (both Menace II Society and Dead Presidents were released on LaserDisc), but are no longer in.

I'd LOVE for Dead Presidents to be released by the Criterion Collection. It doesn't have a Blu-ray release at all!

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by ArtVanderlay

Mani Ratnam - His recent work hasn't impressed me as much as his pre-2010 output but I feel he's criminally ignored on the physical media front.

..and Lagaan on blu ray would be great

Interesting, but Mani's work may be a little too populist, and I don't know if full-blown modern era zingy-pop Indian musicals would be embraced by Criterion.

Lagaan is a possibility. While again shamelessly populist, it has the advantage of scale, exotic yet recognizable colonial era setting with a resemblance (admittedly superficial) to the grand British pictures of yore. And of course the Oscar nomination . There had been some talk of Sony putting it out on blu, but I guess once the Oscar wave died down, it was no longer a priority.

My vote goes for the Indian New Wave auteurs - Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Kumar Shahani, Mani Kaul.

Shyam Benegal is in my humble view the true successor to Satyajit Ray's legacy, with a wide range of films, spanning genres. Criterion fans may recall his name from the documentary he made of Ray, that was included on The Music Room blu-ray. His work is perhaps a little less universal than Ray's, mainly because he goes into more cultural specifics (which makes for a richer work when you are aware of those cultures), but I think it could still be widely appreciated, and his observant and insightful style of movie-making can be appreciated by any sensible audience. Recommendations - Nishant (End of Night), Mandi (Market), Bhumika (The Role), Trikal (Past, Present & Future) Suraj ka Satwan Ghoda (Seventh Horse of the Sun). In the 80's he also helmed a ground-breaking multi-era spanning television series called Discovery of India, based on a seminal literary work in 1946 by the man who later became India's first Prime Minister.

Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Kumar Shahani, I would put together. This is not to suggest their films are alike, but comparable in terms of being, while highlighting social or political concerns, a little more focused on the individual,and also more esoteric and heavy on symbolism than Benegal (whose films were mostly financed by private sources, and was interested that they find sufficient favor among audiences to recoup their budgets). A couple of Adoor's films were put out on DVD by the UK label Second Run - Elipatthayam (Rat-Trap), Kathapurushan (Man of the Story). Shahani is quite poorly represented on video even within India and is worthy of discovery - Tarang (Wave), Kasba (Small Town), Char Adhyay (Four Chapters). Sen's work again is seen only in atrocious home video releases - Bhuvan Shome, Akaler Sandhane (In Search of Famine), Khandar (The Ruins), Antareen (The Confined).

Mani Kaul is on the other end of the spectrum, defiantly arthouse. His films can be quite obtuse, in a good or bad way. Recommendations: Nazar (Gaze, based on a Dostoevsky short), Ashadh ka Ek Din (A Day in the month of Ashadh - Pre-monsoon), Duvidha (Dilemma). I personally like his documentaries on classical Indian musicians, as they work as beautiful visual poems. His mythology inspired short film The Cloud Door was part of an international anthology of Erotic Tales exhibited sometime in the late 90's.

[jamesdevil]

Ramin Bahrani:

Man Push Cart
Goodbye Solo
Chop Shop

It’s a travesty these never got blu-ray releases. Under seen and becoming increasingly forgotten.

[ArtVanderlay]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Interesting, but Mani's work may be a little too populist, and I don't know if full-blown modern era zingy-pop Indian musicals would be embraced by Criterion.

That's fair (that Criterion should focus on lesser seen and known movies), but they have released John Woo and Jackie Chan in the past so I have my fingers crossed

It was actually the most overblown Indian movie that got me into watching Indian cinema - Devdas (2002).

Would also like to see decent releases of Guru Dutt's films - anything would be better than that Pyaasa blu-ray abomination

[DR Herbert West]

Gordon Parks

Shaft deserves a place in the collection.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by ArtVanderlay

Would also like to see decent releases of Guru Dutt's films - anything would be better than that Pyaasa blu-ray abomination

Guru Dutt would definitely be an important addition, and Lee Kline has in the past spoken about Pyaasa and Kaagaz ke Phool. If they can manage to rustle up good restorations they would also have some great supplemental interviews with Shyam Benegal, who was GD's cousin, and later frequently worked with his regular DoP VK Murthy.

[Cremildo]

(although Kino Insider hinted that they may be working on something, so it's doubtful Criterion would have the rights)