It’s hard to get a cellphone signal up in the high mountains of Himachal Pradesh, in Northern India. Especially in the dead of winter when deep snowdrifts absorb all sound and jagged encircling ridges form an impenetrably icy barrier. But without WiFi coverage, Subhadra Mahajan’s spectacular and serene “Second Chance” suggests, a different, deeper kind of connection is possible — to these stark, unearthly landscapes, to the people who’ve made their lives among them, and perhaps even to the self you might have lost touch with through trauma or tiredness, down in the busy, noisy world below.
Twenty-five-year-old Nia (Dheera Johnson) is feeling estranged from herself when she takes refuge here. In a startling juxtaposition, Mahajan cuts from a black screen over which audio of an anguished voicemail plays to Nia gazing out over a stunning black-and-white vista of mountain crags riisng up from a frozen valley basin.
Twenty-five-year-old Nia (Dheera Johnson) is feeling estranged from herself when she takes refuge here. In a startling juxtaposition, Mahajan cuts from a black screen over which audio of an anguished voicemail plays to Nia gazing out over a stunning black-and-white vista of mountain crags riisng up from a frozen valley basin.
- 7/6/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
The setting of Subhadra Mahajan’s feature debut may be chilly, but the vibes are warm. The aptly titled film revolves around Nia, a depressed young Indian woman who leaves Delhi and escapes to her family’s Himalayan summer retreat in the dead of winter to recover from a trauma. What she experiences there belies both hers and the viewer’s expectations, in a location so icily beautiful that the region may well experience a surge of tourism. A feel-good film in the best sense of the term, Second Chance is receiving its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
In the film’s opening moments, we hear a frantic phone call cluing us in to Nia’s turmoil — namely, that she’s taken abortion pills after getting pregnant by a boyfriend who abandoned her and is desperate to keep the secret from her parents. Cut to a shot of Nia (Dheera Johnson,...
In the film’s opening moments, we hear a frantic phone call cluing us in to Nia’s turmoil — namely, that she’s taken abortion pills after getting pregnant by a boyfriend who abandoned her and is desperate to keep the secret from her parents. Cut to a shot of Nia (Dheera Johnson,...
- 7/3/2024
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Debutant filmmaker Subhadra Mahajan’s Second Chance (2024) is a gentle portrait of a young woman’s exploration of love, death, and the resurgence of hope. It centers around a protagonist who shrinks her mental space and tries to refuse the reality that eats her up from the inside. The evocative story follows a single, pregnant woman coping with abandonment by her boyfriend. Enhanced by a mournful score and naturalistic approach, the film seeks depth in a simple yet hopeful tale. This lends the story a certain simplicity, bringing it further into the realm of a humane tale and offering a thoughtful exploration of human relationships without overshadowing its primary focus. Mahajan’s storytelling style, which is slow-paced and introspective, can be seen as having a blend of deep affinity and detached observation. Instead of deeply immersing the viewers in the protagonist’s emotional struggles through melodrama, she approaches it with a detached yet empathetic observation,...
- 7/3/2024
- by Dipankar Sarkar
- Talking Films
“Second Chance,” the directorial debut of Indian filmmaker Subhadra Mahajan, has been picked up for international sales by Thailand-based Diversion ahead of its world premiere at the 2024 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film is set to debut on July 2 in the festival’s Proxima Competition section.
The film tells the story of Nia, a young woman from the city who returns to her family home in the western Himalayas after a decade-long absence. Grappling with personal trauma, Nia forms an unexpected bond with Bhemi, an elderly mountain woman, and Sunny, a spirited young boy. As Nia begins to heal, she must confront the demons of her past while striving for a new beginning.
“Second Chance” was developed through various industry programs, including Produire Au Sud Kolkata 2020, Nfdc Film Bazaar Co-Production Market 2020 and the Cannes Marche du Co-Production Day 2021. The film also participated in the Film Independent Global Media Makers...
The film tells the story of Nia, a young woman from the city who returns to her family home in the western Himalayas after a decade-long absence. Grappling with personal trauma, Nia forms an unexpected bond with Bhemi, an elderly mountain woman, and Sunny, a spirited young boy. As Nia begins to heal, she must confront the demons of her past while striving for a new beginning.
“Second Chance” was developed through various industry programs, including Produire Au Sud Kolkata 2020, Nfdc Film Bazaar Co-Production Market 2020 and the Cannes Marche du Co-Production Day 2021. The film also participated in the Film Independent Global Media Makers...
- 6/28/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has unveiled the official selection for its 58th edition, including new features by Mark Cousins, Noaz Deshe, Oleg Sentsov and Beata Parkanova.
The festival, which runs from June 28-July 6 in the Czech spa town, has selected 34 films for its official selection, which spans the main Crystal Globe Competition, the Proxima Competition and Special Screenings.
Scroll down for full selection
There are 11 world premieres and one international premiere in the Crystal Globe Competition. UK director Cousins world premieres A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, a documentary portrait of British painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, a leading figure in...
The festival, which runs from June 28-July 6 in the Czech spa town, has selected 34 films for its official selection, which spans the main Crystal Globe Competition, the Proxima Competition and Special Screenings.
Scroll down for full selection
There are 11 world premieres and one international premiere in the Crystal Globe Competition. UK director Cousins world premieres A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, a documentary portrait of British painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, a leading figure in...
- 5/28/2024
- ScreenDaily
Pan Nalin, producer and director of Indian Oscar-shortlisted film “Last Film Show,” has boarded Subhadra Mahajan’s debut feature “Second Chance” as an executive producer.
Mahajan previously served as assistant director on Nalin’s “Echo of Eco,” “Angry Indian Goddesses,” “Beyond the Known World” and “Last Film Show.”
“Second Chance,” now in the final stages of post-production, was launched at India’s Film Bazaar co-production market in 2020, and has participated in labs and development programs including Film Independent Global Media Makers Program 2022, the Cannes market co-production day 2021 and Produire Au Sud Kolkata.
The film follows city girl Nia who visits her family home in the western Himalayas after a decade, in the dead of winter, alone. An illicit abortion paired with a stinging abandonment has broken her spirit. The caretaker of the house departs, leaving his old mother-in-law, Bhemi, a weathered mountain woman, in charge, along with his live wire of a young son,...
Mahajan previously served as assistant director on Nalin’s “Echo of Eco,” “Angry Indian Goddesses,” “Beyond the Known World” and “Last Film Show.”
“Second Chance,” now in the final stages of post-production, was launched at India’s Film Bazaar co-production market in 2020, and has participated in labs and development programs including Film Independent Global Media Makers Program 2022, the Cannes market co-production day 2021 and Produire Au Sud Kolkata.
The film follows city girl Nia who visits her family home in the western Himalayas after a decade, in the dead of winter, alone. An illicit abortion paired with a stinging abandonment has broken her spirit. The caretaker of the house departs, leaving his old mother-in-law, Bhemi, a weathered mountain woman, in charge, along with his live wire of a young son,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, has joined hands with the Cannes Film Market to present seven projects looking for co-producers and financiers on July 9.
Film Bazaar, an annual event that takes place in Goa, India, is organized by the country’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc). The selected projects are the ones that attracted the most meetings at the Bazaar’s January online edition.
The projects include “Dengue” by Prantik Basu, produced by Basu and Jan van der Zanden, where a feverish romance plays out between two men as a tropical virus develops. Basu’s “Bela” played at Rotterdam and Visions du Réel, Nyon International Documentary Film Festival.
“Rasa” (Immerse) by Anjali Menon (India), produced by Menon and N.P. Prakash is a dance-based film. Menon is one of India’s most commercially successful filmmakers whose credits include “Bangalore Days” and “Koode.”
“Kuhiro Pariko Sahar” (A Hidden Tale...
Film Bazaar, an annual event that takes place in Goa, India, is organized by the country’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc). The selected projects are the ones that attracted the most meetings at the Bazaar’s January online edition.
The projects include “Dengue” by Prantik Basu, produced by Basu and Jan van der Zanden, where a feverish romance plays out between two men as a tropical virus develops. Basu’s “Bela” played at Rotterdam and Visions du Réel, Nyon International Documentary Film Festival.
“Rasa” (Immerse) by Anjali Menon (India), produced by Menon and N.P. Prakash is a dance-based film. Menon is one of India’s most commercially successful filmmakers whose credits include “Bangalore Days” and “Koode.”
“Kuhiro Pariko Sahar” (A Hidden Tale...
- 6/23/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, has revealed 21 eclectic projects from several countries and in a welter of languages, for its 2021 online edition.
The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects virtually to a curated audience of Indian and international producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers and sales agents at an open pitch session. This year, Film Bazaar has also collaborated with the French Embassy in India which will be sponsoring the French Institute Award for one market project.
As is the usual case, the projects are a mix of festival favorites and debutants.
From India, Berlinale title “Eeb Allay Ooo!” editor Tanushree Das and Rotterdam title “Nasir” cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi make their directorial debuts with Bengali-language “Baksho Bondi” (aka “How Long Is Tomorrow?”), produced by Naren Chandavarkar (Rotterdam Fipresci winner “The Bangle Seller”); Tamil-language “Bommainayagi” (aka “Queen Doll”) by debutant Shanawaz Nizamudeen, produced by Pa. Ranjith, director of Rajinikanth...
The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects virtually to a curated audience of Indian and international producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers and sales agents at an open pitch session. This year, Film Bazaar has also collaborated with the French Embassy in India which will be sponsoring the French Institute Award for one market project.
As is the usual case, the projects are a mix of festival favorites and debutants.
From India, Berlinale title “Eeb Allay Ooo!” editor Tanushree Das and Rotterdam title “Nasir” cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi make their directorial debuts with Bengali-language “Baksho Bondi” (aka “How Long Is Tomorrow?”), produced by Naren Chandavarkar (Rotterdam Fipresci winner “The Bangle Seller”); Tamil-language “Bommainayagi” (aka “Queen Doll”) by debutant Shanawaz Nizamudeen, produced by Pa. Ranjith, director of Rajinikanth...
- 12/22/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Line-up includes new projects from Onir, Anjali Menon, Shyam Bora and Haobam Paban Kumar.
Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), has announced the 21 projects selected for the Co-production Market (Cpm) of its 2020 edition, which will take place online next month after being postponed from its usual November slot.
The line-up includes projects in 17 South Asian languages originating in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as co-productions with Canada, China, Netherlands and France.
International collaborations include Onir’s We Are, co-produced by India’s Anticlock Films and Canada’s Fae Pictures; India-Netherlands collaboration Dengue,...
Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), has announced the 21 projects selected for the Co-production Market (Cpm) of its 2020 edition, which will take place online next month after being postponed from its usual November slot.
The line-up includes projects in 17 South Asian languages originating in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as co-productions with Canada, China, Netherlands and France.
International collaborations include Onir’s We Are, co-produced by India’s Anticlock Films and Canada’s Fae Pictures; India-Netherlands collaboration Dengue,...
- 12/21/2020
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Even though each south Asian country has its own richly textured film production at times, especially within the realms of independent filmmaking collaboration between the film industries can prove quite fruitful, resulting in works of great art and entertainment. The Arthouse Produire au Sud of Kolkata workshop is one of those events supporting such collaborations. According to its founders it “aims to familiarize young producers with a variety of important tools and international co-production techniques by coaching individual projects in development.” Within the range of productions it features and supports we find projects from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan and Maledives.
Here is a list of the features of its selection in 2020:
A Hidden Tale Behind The Mist (Kuhiro Pariko Sahar) – Nepal
by Pasang Dawa Sherpa and produced by Prem Prasad Adhikary
A New Sweetness (Notun Gur) – India
by Deyali Mukherjee and produced by Sriram Raja
Heli...
Here is a list of the features of its selection in 2020:
A Hidden Tale Behind The Mist (Kuhiro Pariko Sahar) – Nepal
by Pasang Dawa Sherpa and produced by Prem Prasad Adhikary
A New Sweetness (Notun Gur) – India
by Deyali Mukherjee and produced by Sriram Raja
Heli...
- 11/21/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
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