My Bindi Articles

Interview: Rohan Fernando flexes his documentary sensibility again with SNOW

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:40:00 -0500

Imagine you’ve lost your entire family, your home, and your culture to Mother Nature. How do you go on when everything you love is gone? For Parvati, it’s an uphill battle which director Rohan Fernando explores in his film Snow. Parvati, played by Kalista Zackhariyas, has been uprooted to Halifax to live with foreign relatives after losing her loved ones to the 2004 tsunami. She experiences dislocation and struggles to conform to the ways of western society while coping with immense grief.

Fernando delves into the common immigrant experience by exemplifying Parvati’s emotions to its truest form. Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Fernando can also relate to the theme of the film. He creates a realistic atmosphere with a diverse yet local cast and, a breathtaking set in Nova Scotia. His cinema verité approach is one that distances from sensationalism and focuses on constant transformation through Parvati’s character.

From despair to hope, Snow is a fictional drama that emits an array of emotions which is the epitome of the human experience. MyBindi.com’s Ashna Singh speaks with Rohan Fernando for an in-depth look at Snow, which makes its exclusive theatrical premiere Feb. 24th in Toronto.

Q. As an immigrant yourself, you must be aware of the difficult transformation that is a common thread among immigrant experiences. Why do you think it’s important to produce films that show an immigrant’s dislocation, loss and grief?

I feel films have the power of creating empathy because they allow the audience to experience the world through someone else’s perspective. I think it’s always important to empathize with others – especially those that have suffered and those that are seen as outsiders in the dominant society. But I also think there’s something wonderful to be gained by seeing the world you live in from an outsider’s perspective and through the veil of grief.

Q. There's a seeming juxtaposition between snow and water in the film – snow symbolizing hope and water despair - which is very interesting. Tell us more about what you were trying to achieve with these representations.

For me water represents the overwhelming grief that Parvati struggles with – a grief so massive that it threatens to drown her psychologically and emotionally. As a new immigrant in Canada, she encounters other forms that water can take on – the uncompromising hardness of ice, and eventually the lightness and beauty of snow – which is nonetheless formed from water - the emotional state she eventually finds herself in by the end of the film.

Q. With Snow, you’ve taken a cinema verité approach in letting the scenes flow naturally, which you’ve been very successful with in the past (e.g. Cecil’s Journey). What did you differently this time round?

Cecil’s Journey and my past films were documentaries. Since Snow is a fictional drama, I was able to go deeper into the emotional intimacy of the characters without feeling I was invading someone’s emotional boundaries.

WIN TICKETS TO SEE SNOW! Click HERE for details.

Q. Why did you choose to shoot and set the film in Nova Scotia, Canada?

I grew up in Nova Scotia – so it was a natural choice for me – but it’s also alienated from a larger Sri Lankan community, increasing her [Parvati] sense of dislocation, and it’s surrounded by water. I wanted the presence of the ocean always close by – since it represents her profound grief - something she can’t escape from.

Q. What was your biggest challenge in filming this fictional drama?

The biggest challenge was casting primarily a non-professional Sri Lankan cast from Nova Scotia. Kalista was the only professional actor so to achieve believable performances from people who had never been on a film set before was something I spent a lot of time and energy on.

Q. How was it working with local actors and a local crew for this film?

It was a wonderful experience. We formed a tight creative family pretty quickly and no one brought a big ego to the set. It was about working together to do the best job we could with the limited time and resources.

Check out the official theatrical trailer HERE for a sneak preview of Snow.

Q. Tell us your favourite scene in the film.

My favourite scene is when Lakshmi comes to talk to Parvati, just before she leaves to see the ocean. I was nervous about Achaala’s (Lakshmi) ability to perform such a challenging scene – but she just blew everyone away. Every take had the same emotional rawness and depth as the one before. I still get emotional during that scene.

Q. What is the lasting impression you want to leave on viewers?

I want them to understand the personal power, strength, freedom and integrity of this character [Parvati] as she stands alone on that cliff having come through such an immense loss. I’ve known people like her in my life and they are my biggest source of inspiration for living a good life and being a good person. I want people to be left with hope.

Click HERE for information about the film Snow.

Rohan Fernando is currently in post-production on a film about a cacao farmer in Belize who manually works his plantation in the same spirit his Maya ancestors did – as a steward of the land.

“The Gunsmith & MoHit” band bring a fresh flavour to Hip-Hop

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:32:00 -0500

"The Gunsmith & MoHit's" mission statement is simple: bring a stirring, fresh, inventive flavour of hip-hop to the People. They have just released their debut album titled “Conquest”, which has undoubtedly made their presence felt. The beats are hard-hitting, and the melodies catchy. Their songs fill a void that has existed for far too long in the urban music scene. The dramatic sounds, accompanied by The Gunsmith’s highly technical rap vocals, and MoHit’s incredible choruses is sure to sweep the masses off their feet.

The band was formed in the summer of 2011 when Yuvraj Goel (The Gunsmith) and Mohit Bhatnagar met at a singing contest in Toronto. Although they are engineers during work hours, Yuvraj is an accomplished rapper, while Mohit is an exceptional singer. The duo found a solid contrast of themselves in each other, and decided to work together in order to produce attention-grabbing work that could resonate with the urban music enthusiasts. The Gunsmith started writing poetry at a very young age, which has now transformed into impressive song-writing. Mohit discovered his passion for music at a very young age as well. Both artists taught themselves how to play instruments such as the piano and the guitar while growing up. Before their paths crossed, they were already performing on stage, producing their own music and finding new ways to creatively express their musical talent. The duo now records and produces all their songs.

Their album "Conquest" revolves around the story of a man who rises up to fame and eventually succumbs to a sense of solitude that comes from reaching the heights of stardom. The lyrics are powerful, and the rhymes are innovative. Each song has a unique style of hook to it, which ranges from Punjabi to pure Bollywood, from rock to pop. They have also released a music video for their track “Bollywood Star”. It showcases the city of Toronto while a troupe of Bollywood style dancers jams to the song.

The Gunsmith & MoHit are band to watch out for. The Gunsmith’s rap technique and ability, along with MoHit’s vocal range and adaptability are bound to mesmerize the audiences with more exciting sounds to follow. Their album is up on iTunes, and more of their songs can be seen on their channel on YouTube. Be sure to stay tuned in to their channel for multiple fan videos that they are about to release. To find out about their upcoming gigs and interesting side-projects, you can:

- follow @smithythaboss and @mohitmusic on twitter

- like The Gunsmith and Mohit Music on facebook

Check out the music video for "Bollywood Star"!

Living ever after, virtually

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:50:00 -0500

Like most people on social networking sites, 27-year-old Aditya Yadav's profile is an active one, with a regular flow of messages and photographs. The only difference is he is no more in this world. For his family and friends though, this is a desperate attempt to keep his memories 'alive'.

Psychologists say beyond three to six months, such a practice could indicate depression, but sites like Facebook and Orkut abound with such accounts.

The only son of his parents, Yadav was an IT professional in Delhi who met with a fatal bike accident on his way home from work. His sudden death put the family in a state of shock.

"Bhaiyya (brother) was a person you would like instantly, after the very first meeting. And I am not saying this because I am his sister...you can ask any of his friends. His laughter was infectious, he was lovable and empathetic," his sister Shruti told IANS.

"His death was untimely...and for a very long time we could not come to terms with it. When I visited his social networking profile, I found a barrage of 'miss you' messages from his friends, as if they could still connect to him. I believed them and decided not to delete his profile," she added.

Thus, over the past one year, Shruti has been updating her brother's profile - even accepting friend requests on his behalf - as if he were still alive. On his birthday, she baked a cake and posted the picture on his profile. His friends too regularly post messages on festivals and other occasions.

For 28-year-old Malini Sharma, the live profile of her late husband, Pawan, is now her companion in difficult times.

"Pawan and I were childhood sweethearts and after a courtship of nine years, we got married two years back. However, fate had a cruel plan for us...we met with a car accident last year. I came out of it with injuries, but he...," Sharma left the sentence half-said.

"He was my best friend and I thought I wouldn't be able to make it without him. The only thing that still made me feel that he was around was his profile on the networking site. There was no update on that to stress the rude fact that he was no more...so it became like a comfort zone for me," she said.

"When I miss him, I write to him there. I wish him on festivals. It feels as if he can hear me. Some of his friends keep posting their old pictures with Pawan, reminding us of the happy times around him and to keep his memory alive," Malini said.

"Miss you darling. You will always be in our thoughts. Be happy wherever you are, see you in another world," read a message on late Gunjan Shah's wall. Her best friend, Ramya, posts on the late 20-year-old's wall regularly.

"We were on a college trip to Pune. We lost Gunjan when we were walking on the sidewalk, and a car rammed against her from behind. She didn't make it to the hospital...that image will forever remain in our minds, especially mine, because we were best friends," Ramya said.

"Some say that I need to move on. But Gunjan used to always say how sad it was that a loved one's memory fades away in time after their death, and I will not let that happen to her," she said.

While heart-rending it is, doctors say such a trend could be a sign of depression, and the person may need help.

"One needs to be careful about such behaviour because it is not normal. When someone loses a dear one, the accepted period of bereavement is t

hree to six months when the person tries to cope with the loss. But beyond that it's dangerous," Rachna Singh, lifestyle management expert at the Artemis Health Institute in Gurgaon, told IANS.

According to Singh, such behaviour could indicate depression.

"If a person keeps posting messages to someone who is no more on a social networking site, it means that others know about it. The support group - family and friends - should realise that the person is in a state of denial and should help him or her accept the loss," she added.

Said psychologist Samira Verma: "Death is painful. But for the people of the dead to move on in life, it is important to attain closure. If a wife does such things in memory of her dead husband for some time, it's ok because she is still in the phase of denial and bereavement.

"However, beyond a certain period, others should step in and help her accept the loss. It is equally important to allow her the space to grieve after that," she said.

(IANS) New Delhi

‘Ekk Deewana Tha’ is all about thrills of first love

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:15:00 -0500

A Hindi remake of Menon's Tamil movie "Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa", the film also features Manu Rishi and Sachin Khedekar. The music of the film is composed by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman and it is being distributed by Fox Star Studios.

The story of the film revolves around Sachin, a regular 22-year-old engineering graduate from a middle-class family in Mumbai, who is in love with cinema and wants to carve a niche for himself in filmdom. But it was not easy to fulfill the dream -- like many others, he struggles and struggles and his only source of survival is his pocket money.

While waiting for his big break, he meets Jessie and instantly falls in love with her. Jessie is a beautiful, elegant and smart girl, but belongs to an orthodox Malayali Christian family, where watching movies, partying or falling in love are taboo.

Jessie, from her end, tries to forge a friendship, believing that hiding their feelings under the umbrella of friendship would save them heartache, tears and a full-blown family drama.

"Ekk Deewana Tha" is described as intense, yet feel good love story of two completely different characters and how they cooperate with the pangs and pleasure of first love.

This is Prateik's second solo venture after "My Friend Pinto". However, he has been part of multi-starrers like "Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na", "Dhobi Ghat" and "Aarakshan".

Well in sync with the theme of "Ekk Deewana Tha", the music of the film was launched with much fanfare against the backdrop of the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra.

Rumours are abuzz that Prateik and Amy are dating each other ever since they met on the sets of the film, but they refuse to confirm or deny it. Prateik admits he would love to act with Amy again.

Rahman was caught up in a controversy following objections from a Christian group over the use of the word "Hosanna" in a song from the film. The Mozart of Madras clarified saying he didn't intend to hurt anyone's sentiments.

"As with any film project I work on, I had spent several months researching before composing and writing all the songs for 'Ekk Dewaana Tha' and had consulted friends who are Christian in particular about the use of the word 'Hosanna' in this song," Rahman said.

Rahman rarely gets involved in promotional activities for any film but he agreed to shoot a promotional video for the film, while singing a track "Kya hai mohabbat".

Prateik's last solo release "My Friend Pinto" failed to rake in moolah at the box-office, so now he pins hope on this film.

(IANS) New Delhi

Top 10 Cars to see at Toronto's Auto Show

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:31:00 -0500

Pagani Zonda R – If you like your cars rare and expensive, the Zonda R demands a lot of your attention should you attend the auto show. This supercar costs a cool $2.2 million, and is the only one currently in North America. Get those iPhone cameras ready, people!

Mercedes-Benz SL – Another beautiful Mercedes convertible was recently released, and it will be shown in all its glory at the German automaker’s stand at the Toronto auto show.

Scion FR-S – This rear-wheel drive coupe looks set to really increase the exposure of the Scion brand as it grows in Canada. Developed jointly with Subaru, the FR-S is a sure bet to appeal to the young, performance-obsessed crowd. Even if you don’t ever drive it, you can certainly admire it up close at the auto show.

Aston Martin One-77 – You won’t get many chances to get this close to one of Aston Martin’s supercars – the One-77 won’t be for sale in Canada – so you should take advantage of this rare appearance. And if you’re somehow underwhelmed by that vehicle, there’s always the Virage and V8 Vantage S that will be at the Aston Martin stand as well.

Ford Fusion – There has been a ton of buzz surrounding the next-generation Fusion since it was unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January, and everywhere the vehicle goes, that same buzz seems to follow it. This sleek-looking sedan can be seen up-close and personal in Toronto. You won’t believe the difference compared to its predecessor (and competitors, for that matter!).

Audi Allroad – Replacing the current A4 wagon, the Allroad is one of those vehicles that looks to be a ton of fun to drive, while still being a great vehicle to complete daily chores in. It was only recently announced by Audi, and it’s already making its way through the auto show circuit.

Cadillac ATS – GM is looking to take on all comers – yes, we’re talking BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz – in the luxury sports sedan segment with the ATS, so we can’t wait to see how it will perform in the real world. Until then, feel free to admire the good-looking ATS from the show floor at the Convention Centre.

Kia Rio sedan – The new four-door Rio looks to be a head-turner just like its big brothers the Forte and Optima. It may not be the fanciest or most rare of vehicles, but considering Canadians’ love affair with small cars, the Rio sedan should still garner plenty of attention at the auto show.

Acura ILX concept – Acura’s entry-level sedan will no longer be exclusive to Canada with the ILX replacing the CSX, which was only ever sold in the Great White North. Regardless, the ILX looks to be a big step up from the vehicle it’s replacing. Although the production version was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show, the concept in Toronto looks very close to the final version.

Jaguar C-X16 concept – Toronto will be the first and only city to display Jaguar’s wicked-looking coupe concept. Like the Pagani Zonda R and One-77, you should take advantage if you’re planning on attending the show in T.O.

This article is authored by Daniel Barron and first appeared HERE

India a growing market for Hollywood films

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:17:00 -0500

From superspy thrillers to animation films to action adventure offerings, a barrage of Hollywood movies is releasing in India. Though the viewership is still limited, the country is becoming a promising market, say trade experts.

"The response to Hollywood films in India has immensely improved over the years. We have seen considerable growth in the number of people coming to watch these films. Thanks to the social media, people are increasingly becoming aware and they have started coming to the theatres," Gautam Datta of PVR Cinemas told IANS.

"Moreover, the Indian distributors of Hollywood films have also been devising new ways to promote these films. Another important aspect behind their increasing popularity here is these films are being dubbed in various Indian languages," he added.

Last year saw a number of Hollywood releases in India that did decent business at the box-office. "Mission Impossible: The Ghost Protocol", which had Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor in a brief appearance, earned Rs.40 crore ($8.12 million) in India. And, most importantly, the film's lead actor, Tom Cruise, had flown down to the country to promote his film.

The last and the final instalment of "Harry Potter" series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" earned Rs.36 crore ($7.3 million) each, while Johnny Depp's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" raked in Rs.34 crore in India.

Vin Diesel-starrer "Fast Five" earned Rs.29 crore while "X-Men: First Class" fetched Rs.22 crore in the Indian market. Aaron Eckhart-starrer "Battle Los Angeles" did a business of Rs.20 crore.

Animation film "Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of Unicorn" and "Kung Fu Panda 2" grossed Rs.24 crore and Rs.27 crore respectively at the box-office. "The Hangover 2", sequel to the 2009 film "The Hangover" earned Rs.15 crore at the Indian box-office.

The market size of Hollywood in India is believed to be about Rs.850-Rs.900 crore, which contributes 10-12 percent of the overall box-office revenue.

Ashok Amritraj, owner of Hyde Park studio in Los Angeles, said: "India is not the biggest market for Hollywood films. India is dominated by Indian films. But, on the other hand, it has grown significantly in the last 10 years."

Datta said the market is small, "as like many other countries, it is an additional market for Hollywood, but the films still do well. It still has to go a long way".

According to distributor Joginder Mahajan, the number of Hollywood films releasing in India has fairly increased, but films only work if they have a good storyline.

"Earlier only five to six Hollywood films used to release in India, but now the number is much more. Just like Indian cinema is creating a space for itself on the global platform, Hollywood films are also gradually creating a niche here," Mahajan told IANS.

"But people are still looking for good stories," he added.

Thanks to the Oscars, people are becoming more aware, says Mahajan.

"Due to the increasing popularity of Oscars and other prestigious international awards, the curiosity levels of people are increasing. Whenever they hear that some theatres are showing Oscar-nominated films, they flock to the cinemas to watch them," he said.

"The audience is limited because such films only have viewership in metro cities; it is not as popular in small towns," Mahajan said.

Datta also admits that people are looking for films that are a visual treat.

"People watch only those films that are visually appealing whether it's an action thriller, a sci-fi or an animation film. They want visually strong films," he said.

(IANS) New Delhi

Rahul Bose to make English movie on Pakistani novel

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:46:00 -0500

Bollywood actor Rahul Bose Thursday said he is all set to make an English movie which will be a screen adaptation of a Pakistani novel.

"I will be making an English movie based on a Pakistani novel. So I won't be available for any other movies during that period of August, September and October," said Bose on the sidelines of a programme here.

Bose is also excited about his next Bengali film with national award-wining director Suman Mukhopadhyay. The film is based on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's 'Shesher Kabita'.

"I will start my shooting for my next venture 'Shesher Kabita' with Konkona Sen Sharma. The film will be directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay," said the 44-year-old, who is one of the most popular faces of Bengali cinema.

He has acted in award-winning Bengali movies like "Antaheen", "Kaalpurush" and "Anuranan".

(IANS) Kolkata

Malaika to come up with fitness DVD

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:29:00 -0500

Model-turned-actress Malaika Arora Khan is often complimented on her perfect figure. She plans to share her fitness mantra with her fans and has decided to come up with a DVD soon.

"Hopefully, that will be soon enough. I am very much into yoga. I hope to come out with something which will also have diet plans in my DVD," Malaika told IANS.

Before this, Shilpa Shetty and Bipasha Basu had launched their fitness DVDs.

The 38-year-old's fashion sense is also appreciated and she is open to starting her fashion line, but only when her younger sister will join her.

"May be I will. I love fashion, I love clothes, and I love everything about fashion. I do have a flair for it but there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. Someday, I would love to explore it, but I will not do it myself. I would like to go ahead if my sister Amrita also gets involved in it," Malaika said.

Currently, Malaika is excited about the sequel to "Dabangg" and said: "Being the producer is hard work enough. I have been actually involved this time, though not so much the first time. This time, I am completely involved with everything round this."

"Dabangg" was the highest grosser in 2010, so expectations are high from part two also.

"It is a brand that is established. There is a curiosity about what will 'Dabangg 2' be all about. That's part of business. Any kind of speculation is good because it increases the value of what we have, but we do have something good on hand and we are looking forward to it."

Will Malaika shake her leg for any song in "Dabangg 2"?

"I am not sure about the creative part as that is decided by (my husband) Arbaaz because he is part of that department," she said.

(IANS) Mumbai

Omni Television Presents Canadian Broadacast of Zee Cine Awards 2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:32:00 -0500

OMNI Television celebrates the best in Indian film with the three-hour broadcast of the Zee Cine Awards 2012, Sunday, February 19 at 7pm ET on OMNI. 2, OMNI Alberta and OMNI BC. Hosted by Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan (My Name is Khan) and Priyanka Chopra (Ra.One), the awards ceremony is the most prestigious recognition in the Indian film industry. Known as the biggest viewer’s choice awards for South Asian cinema, the three-hour broadcast celebrates the meaningful contributions and ground-breaking performances from 2011.

“OMNI Television greatly appreciates the Indian film industry and its extraordinary breadth of talent,” said Madeline Ziniak, National Vice-President of OMNI Television. “With the success of IIFA 2011, along with OMNI’s Bollywood Freetime Movie presentations and South Asian entertainment diversity programs, Zee Cine Awards 2012 further complements OMNI Television’s evolving South Asian programming lineup.”

Taking the true spirit of Indian cinema beyond national frontiers and across several international borders, Zee Cine Awards 2012 features unforgettable performances from some of the brightest talent Bollywood has to offer. Throughout the star-studded broadcast, viewers will be entertained by an array of performers including: Shahid Kapur (Jab We Met), Katrina Kaif (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), Vidya Balan (The Dirty Picture), and Ranbir Kapoor (Rock Star).

This year’s ceremony honours international cinema with 38 awards including best actor male and female, best film, best director, best international icon male and female and best song. Apart from India, the Zee Cine Awards have left an indelible footprint in Dubai, London, Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore throughout the last 13 years.

The Making of Snow: Rohan Fernando brings a documentary eye to an intimate feature drama

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:18:00 -0500

Over the last decade, Rohan Fernando has earned plenty of praise and awards for his documentary films. So it's no surprise that the writer-director brings a documentary sensibility to Snow, his first feature drama. Shot entirely in Nova Scotia (though you'd never know it watching the opening sequence, set in Sri Lanka), Snow tells the story of Parvati, a 24-year old woman who has lost her entire family to the 2004 tsunami. Relocated and dislocated, she now lives in Halifax with relatives she had never met before.

Lead Kalista Zackhariyas, who plays Parvati, has a background in a variety of performing arts, but the rest of the cast are new to the screen. “For this film, I really wanted to work primarily with non-actors,” Fernando says. “It's a very diverse cast. We were committed to making a local film with local actors and a local crew. They're not used to the camera and don't have a bunch of approaches to their craft already. It created a very open collaboration."

Fernando cast most of the main characters in the film based on the life experiences of those playing them. So Parvati's uncle is played by a Sri Lankan immigrant, and the actor filling the role of his somewhat rebellious second-generation daughter is “basically playing exactly who she is in real life,” says Fernando. Meanwhile, Emily, a homeless musician, is played by Halifax singer-songwriter Ria Mae who is breaking out this year with her debut album “Under Your Skin”.

Snow wasn't shot like a typical dramatic feature film either. The cast was encouraged to adapt their characters to fit their own particular experiences and individual traits. And instead of storyboarding, Fernando chose to let the scenes flow naturally, filming each one from beginning to end – following and recording the action in the style of the great cinéma vérité documentaries of the 1960s and 70s.

It's an approach that Fernando has used with great success in his documentaries, particularly the autobiographical Cecil's Journey (selected as best short film at the Atlantic Film Festival and nominated for a Gemini Award for best documentary) and Blood and Water. It was after shooting Blood and Water – a documentary in which he goes to Sri Lanka with his uncle, who lost both his wife and daughter to the tsunami – that Fernando started to think about going back to the subject. This time, though, he knew the film couldn't be another documentary.

"There are ethical implications to showing scenes of profound intimacy in a documentary, because you’re seeing it through your eyes and imposing your point of view on someone else’s emotions," he says. "I felt that a drama would be a more appropriate way of exploring those emotions and questions," Fernando says. “I wanted to avoid shoving a camera in someone's face when they were crying. “I needed to explore it further, which meant I had to go into it as a drama. That allowed me to delve into the deepest part of this character’s psyche and emotional landscape without those concerns."

Parvati, the lead character in Snow, has faced tremendous loss and grief. While her suffering may be on a scale beyond what most will ever feel, the sense of dislocation Parvati feels is one most immigrants experience. “My interest in this theme comes from my own history as an immigrant,” says Fernando, who was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in what he remembers as an all-white suburban area. “This quality of transformation is at the heart of all immigrant experiences. Underlying this transformation is an immense grief associated from a sense of loss—whether loss of family, of home, of country, of culture, of innocence. It cuts to the core of the human experience.”

In Snow, we meet Parvati the day of the tsunami. So for most of the film her memories are still raw and she hasn't really found her Canadian self. Fernando says, “I’m interested in filming characters before they coalesce into firm shapes, objects or identities. Parvati oscillates between her own name and her twin sister’s—unsure herself of which one actually survived the tsunami. In this way, Parvati is like a newborn when she wakes up in Canada, groping and stumbling, hoping to one day find herself.” And that takes us back to the idea of shooting the film like a documentary – because, Fernando says, “the process of improvisation and filming in a documentary style captures this quality of constant transformation.”

Snow had its World Premiere at the prestigious Cinequest Film Festival, opened ReelWorld and won Best Music at the Atlantic Film Festival.

SNOW opens at Cumberland Four Cinemas in Toronto for an exclusive engagement on February 24th, 2012. Click HERE for more details.

Click HERE for more information about the film.

CONTEST :: WIN TICKETS TO SEE SNOW SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26!!

To enter your name for a chance to WIN 2 FREE tickets to see Snow Sunday, Feb. 26th, all you need to do is:

1) Like SNOW's Facebook page
2) Follow @Snowthefilm on twitter
3) Tweet the following: Go see @Snowthefilm playing at Cumberland Four Theatres Feb 24th to March 1st #mybindi#Snow

The winners will be picked randomly and posted on Facebook and Twitter on the evening of February 25th.

My Bindi Articles

Interview: Rohan Fernando flexes his documentary sensibility again with SNOW

Q. As an immigrant yourself, you must be aware of the difficult transformation that is a common thread among immigrant experiences. Why do you think it’s important to produce films that show an immigrant’s dislocation, loss and grief?

Q. There's a seeming juxtaposition between snow and water in the film – snow symbolizing hope and water despair - which is very interesting. Tell us more about what you were trying to achieve with these representations.

Q. With Snow, you’ve taken a cinema verité approach in letting the scenes flow naturally, which you’ve been very successful with in the past (e.g. Cecil’s Journey). What did you differently this time round?

Q. Why did you choose to shoot and set the film in Nova Scotia, Canada?

Q. What was your biggest challenge in filming this fictional drama?

Q. How was it working with local actors and a local crew for this film?

Q. Tell us your favourite scene in the film.

Q. What is the lasting impression you want to leave on viewers?

Click HERE for information about the film Snow.

“The Gunsmith & MoHit” band bring a fresh flavour to Hip-Hop

Check out the music video for "Bollywood Star"!

Living ever after, virtually

‘Ekk Deewana Tha’ is all about thrills of first love

Top 10 Cars to see at Toronto's Auto Show

India a growing market for Hollywood films

Rahul Bose to make English movie on Pakistani novel

Malaika to come up with fitness DVD

Omni Television Presents Canadian Broadacast of Zee Cine Awards 2012

The Making of Snow: Rohan Fernando brings a documentary eye to an intimate feature drama

SNOW opens at Cumberland Four Cinemas in Toronto for an exclusive engagement on February 24th, 2012. Click HERE for more details.

Click HERE for more information about the film.

***CONTEST :: WIN TICKETS TO SEE SNOW SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26!!***

Check out the official theatrical trailer below for a sneak preview of "Snow".

CONTEST :: WIN TICKETS TO SEE SNOW SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26!!