Restored ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ to be screened at Cannes Film Festival
Times of India | 8 May 2025
12 Kolkata: The restored ‘Aranyer Din Ratri' will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in the presence of the film's cast, Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal, and American film-maker Wes Anderson. The festival authorities announced on Wednesday that the 1970 Satyajit Ray classic, restored by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project at L'Immagine Ritrovata in collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and the Criterion Collection, will be screened in the Cannes Classics section.This film, based on Sunil Gangopadhyay's novel of the same name, was in the main competition of the 20th Berlin Film Festival in 1970 but was not sent to Cannes then. Its 4K restoration was completed, using the original camera and sound negative preserved by producer Purnima Dutta, and the magnetic track preserved at BFI National Archive. Dutta said, "The film has resonated with the audiences all across the world and will certainly spark meaningful discussions at the festival." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in KolkataDirector Sandip Ray called the film a personal favourite, "complex and yet so richly textured". He conveyed his gratitude towards Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur's Film Heritage Foundation, and The Criterion Collection for the restoration. "Since mid-2024, I worked with Dungarpur through the restoration process and was quite amazed by the meticulous approach taken. The restored film looks stunning." Dungarpur described the process as an "incredibly moving experience". "It will be my pleasure to attend the screening along with Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal and Purnima Dutta's family," he said. Sandip, who won't attend the Cannes screening, thanked Anderson for presenting the film. "He has been a great admirer of my father's work and sent such a beautiful note, calling the film ‘another masterpiece' from the master," he added. Tagore said, "This is a special moment for me and I am so happy that I will be in Cannes to present the film... ." Garewal said, "Working with Ray was like stepping into the mind of a quiet genius... ."