CFS presents: APARAJITO (with French subtitles)

16mm film.

Satyajit Ray had not planned to make a sequel to PATHER PANCHALI, but after the film’s international success, he decided to continue Apu’s narrative. The story picks up where the first film leaves off, with Apu and his family having moved away from the country to live in a bustling city. As Apu progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother. This tenderly expressive, often heart-wrenching film, which won three top prizes at the Venice Film Festival, including the Golden Lion, not only extends but also spiritually deepens the tale of Apu. Our feature will be preceded by a fascinating documentary short on Ray at work on one of his many brilliant films.

"Never having seen a Satyajit Ray film is like never having seen the sun or the moon." - Akira Kurosawa

Guest speaker: Dushyant Yajnik has served in different capacities at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal over the past several years, including stints as festival director. He is a M.D.-psychotherapist and a psychoanalyst who has presented seminars in "Psychoanalysis and Cinema". He is a long-time board member of the Kabir Cultural Centre of Montreal which presents a range of arts and cultural activities that build bridges between the South Asian community and other communities of Montreal.