'Water' released

jivan

Surprise Surprise,
In a thread earlier I said I was disappointed as 'Water' had been cancelled to be shot in 'Varanasi' but it seems that the lady had gone ahead & shot the movie in Sri Lanka.
http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/h...view/6317.html
http://water.mahiram.com/
Hope they release the movie soon here.

iwanttogoback

it's showing here in perth this week, i'm hoping to make it there, if i get paid on time

In the parlour

I saw it on DVD last week; available at my local Indian grocery store in the US. Not sure how they got it before the official DVD release date.

Very powerful movie, with beautiful photography. Sri Lanka looks nothing like Varanasi, but I think the setting added a dimension that would not have been possible if it had been shot in Varanasi. Deepa Mehta turned a potential disaster into a great piece of art.

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jivan

Would love some detailed reviews on this. I hope to see this pic. either if released officially or with a Movie Club which I'm associated with. They sometimes do show un-released movies.

Mandsaur

It opened last year's Toronto Film Festival. Here's an article I posted at that time: Deepa Mehta's "Water" wows Toronto Film Fest

It's releasing here in the US in April. Here's the trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/water/trailera/

Theon

The DVD you likely saw is a screener released a few weeks back. The official DVD releases tomorrow (March 7) in Canada. I don't think the official DVD will be available for sale in the US, as Mandsaur notes that you're still awaiting a theatrical run.

I thought the film was good, well-shot, but forced and miscasted. I thought Varanasi would have added much more to it. The acting by Seema Biswas was the highlight for me. Also, the music was perfect - A.R. Rahman and Mychael Dhanna did an amazing job.

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lotus blossom

ah, i've been waiting so long to see this film get released. horray for deepa mehta, an extraordinary director, for doing what it takes to get this information out there. can't wait to see the film; the trailer is powerful.

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In the parlour

Interesting discussion; look forward to seeing more people write their opinions. I thought the setting was both claustrophobic and lush, two aspects that would have been impossible in Varanasi. It would have been a different movie had it been filmed in Varanasi. I think Mehta used the sense of isolation, combined with the lushness provided by rain, to full advantage. As the old saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

The last frame of the movie was probably the most powerful single frame of any movie I have ever seen. I know this is a cliche, but I thought Seema Biswas was a revelation, particularly in the last three or four frames. Not scenes, frames.

KatyQueen

Maybe I had a very different experience in Varanasi than you, but I've almost never felt as claustrophobic as I did walking around there! Especially in the back streets near the Ganges. But I do agree that she was really able to use the location in Sri Lanka to her advantage. I've only seen Water and Fire, but I loved how both of them ended on such a powerful note. I found it really cool that she incorporated the elements from the titles of both movies into the scenery and plots without seeming tacky.

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Vibhu Jindal

i just hope that it dosent turn out to be another movie that portrays exaggerated version of the hard realities.

jivan

Being Indian but still Varanasi was fascinating. AFA the movie is concerned, it's bound to be an exaggeration no doubt. I'm looking forward to see 'Water' as & when it's released here in India.

In the parlour

Yes, the alleys are quite narrow. I was thinking more in terms of the ghats. I was there a year ago, and the water was quite low. I thought it was very expansive.

Theon

Perhaps what threw me off was the fact that they were trying to pass off Sri Lanka as Varanasi--an impossibility. I guess I couldn't get past thinking "That doesn't look like Varanasi...".

What span of time is three or four frames? Less than a second? 30 seconds? The whole last part of that final scene was a revelation for me.

Vibhu Jindal, I thought the movie was an exaggeration of harsh realities. I guess how Mehta makes her films "powerful".

In the parlour

As the train was pulling away, the focus stayed on her face. From her expression, I initially thought she would never return to the ashram. As her expression changed, I felt she would return to take care of unfinished business.

SitaParityaga

Bay Area IM'rs:

Water is playing at the Castro Theater in San Francisco next Sunday 3/19 at 6pm.