Going short
By Z(Aasiyah/Nolwynn)
Today I am going short. Yes, I'm gonna talk less (hallelujah, will say some people!). Why? Because I am drowning (as usual) but my topic is also about something that's short.
Short stories, that is.
As much as I'm a goner for full-length stories/movies/soapies, I'm also a fanatic of the 'realistic' cinema trend out there. That does't mean that lietrary-type doesn't bore me to death (half the time it does, sadly), but I recently came upon a mix that fulfilled my craving for realism while delivering profound stories that touch upon a range of subjects.
Now you all know I'm of Indian-descent, and when that is the case, there's no way you can escape from Indian cinema having a significant part in your life. Indian movie aired last Monday on the movie channel here in Mauritius - Dus Kahaniyaan.
Translated, it means Ten Stories, and it really is a compilation of ten different short movies that take place in today's India. Instead of telling you in detail what each little movie is about, check this link that gives a pretty good synopsis of every story.
My point being here - I never thought I'd come across so many themes and different stories in one go. Yes, you may say - that's what a compilation of short stories is about. But the realism, the themes, the grittiness, the hope, the happy ending to some of them, the twisted endings on others - amazing!
Infidelity in Indian society - yes, it exists, and it is portrayed in not just one but two stories here. The first is a young bored housewife from a metro, the other is an older mother in a rural village, who meets her lover on nights of full moon in the fields behind her house.
AIDS in Indian society - mentioned too, in a story that also involves rape.
Young college-going couples and the kind of life they live, always high.
The Mafia in metro India - you bet it exists! Shown through two dons' rise and fall.
Religious intolerance? Sadly it still exists strong but what a way those directors found to portray tolerance and what good the human heart is inherently capable of showing, irrespective of religious belonging.
To me that movie was an embodiment of a whole society. It showed me more than what a full-length movie could have. It was a slice of modern life, in all its reality and realism. It was India, Today!
I'm not sure if other short story compilations from the Western world have such depp-thought-provoking themes and realism too. Two that come to mind are Paris Je T'aime and New York I Love You. These seem more like romantic stories in a single setting. I've got the New York one down to watch soon, and I wonder what that has in store.
In a way, even big cast stories, despite a little sugar-coating, deal with more realism and real-life slices than single-story movies/books. Just take a look at Love Actually - described as today's romantic comedy, it is at the same time a mish-mash of short stories of different people and different couples and what they are facing in today's time.
Short stories - I didn't think I'd like them. To me they'd always seemed, well, short (don't laugh!) and I kept wondering - how can you show a lot in such a small setting/slice? Turns out I was wrong. Take a chance on short stories too - you may be surprised.
And uh, yes, this was supposed to be short... Go figure!
From now till next time, cheers & hugs!!
Today I am going short. Yes, I'm gonna talk less (hallelujah, will say some people!). Why? Because I am drowning (as usual) but my topic is also about something that's short.
Short stories, that is.
As much as I'm a goner for full-length stories/movies/soapies, I'm also a fanatic of the 'realistic' cinema trend out there. That does't mean that lietrary-type doesn't bore me to death (half the time it does, sadly), but I recently came upon a mix that fulfilled my craving for realism while delivering profound stories that touch upon a range of subjects.
Now you all know I'm of Indian-descent, and when that is the case, there's no way you can escape from Indian cinema having a significant part in your life. Indian movie aired last Monday on the movie channel here in Mauritius - Dus Kahaniyaan.
My point being here - I never thought I'd come across so many themes and different stories in one go. Yes, you may say - that's what a compilation of short stories is about. But the realism, the themes, the grittiness, the hope, the happy ending to some of them, the twisted endings on others - amazing!
Infidelity in Indian society - yes, it exists, and it is portrayed in not just one but two stories here. The first is a young bored housewife from a metro, the other is an older mother in a rural village, who meets her lover on nights of full moon in the fields behind her house.
AIDS in Indian society - mentioned too, in a story that also involves rape.
Young college-going couples and the kind of life they live, always high.
The Mafia in metro India - you bet it exists! Shown through two dons' rise and fall.
Religious intolerance? Sadly it still exists strong but what a way those directors found to portray tolerance and what good the human heart is inherently capable of showing, irrespective of religious belonging.
To me that movie was an embodiment of a whole society. It showed me more than what a full-length movie could have. It was a slice of modern life, in all its reality and realism. It was India, Today!
I'm not sure if other short story compilations from the Western world have such depp-thought-provoking themes and realism too. Two that come to mind are Paris Je T'aime and New York I Love You. These seem more like romantic stories in a single setting. I've got the New York one down to watch soon, and I wonder what that has in store.
In a way, even big cast stories, despite a little sugar-coating, deal with more realism and real-life slices than single-story movies/books. Just take a look at Love Actually - described as today's romantic comedy, it is at the same time a mish-mash of short stories of different people and different couples and what they are facing in today's time.
Short stories - I didn't think I'd like them. To me they'd always seemed, well, short (don't laugh!) and I kept wondering - how can you show a lot in such a small setting/slice? Turns out I was wrong. Take a chance on short stories too - you may be surprised.
And uh, yes, this was supposed to be short... Go figure!
From now till next time, cheers & hugs!!
Great post, Z! Like any story, short stories can be good or bad, depending. If done very well, they encapsulate all the necessary elements contained in a longer story, but in a more concise way. Certain short story authors blow me away: TC Boyle, Charles D'Ambrosio Alice Munro, even Michael Chabon and Margaret Atwood have released amazing shorts. Atwood's six-word "story" even killed me: "Longed for him. Got him. Shit." Talk about encapsulation! :)
ReplyDeleteCate - That Margaret Atwood six-word story is awesome.
ReplyDeleteZ - I've heard about this film and it's definitely on my To Be Watched Mountain. Almost as towering as some To Be Read Mountains out there.
Hey ladies
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.
Cate, that six-word story is great! Encapsulates it so nicely.
Julia, the movie is well, well worth it. DO make time it when you can.
Hugs!!
Enjoyed your post Z! I do like movies with multiple story-lines but I find that sometimes the stories don't get their due. Love Actually was like that - I thought several of the story lines could have been more fleshed out.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments gals! ;)
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