I met Gina at the Third I film festival mixer back in 2003. I found her activism to be inspirational and enjoyed her deep knowledge on world music, politics and Asian-American experience. She was as supportive of Film & Arts as she was of crafting stories from visceral experiences. I appeared on her show, Asian Pacific Exchange (APEX) frequently as a commentator on Pakistan's political situation and promoting Third I South Asian Film Festival. In each interview she led with poignant questions while provided deeper context for her audience.
In 2005, we spend some time developing a story on the continued incarceration of U.S.-born 23-year old Hamid Hayat who had allegedly attended a terror-training camp in northeast Pakistan, and of his father Umar Hayat. During that time, Gina told me about her own research and family experiences on the Japanese internment during WW II. Her conviction for human rights and social justice were not just personified by her weekly show on APEX but also in her indefatigable passion in giving voice to the Hyphened Asian-American community
She will be dearly missed.
I can't find any archives of her old show where she interviewed on Kala Pul movie and stage play, but I have posted a copy of 12/29/2005 show where we talked about relief work during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
Kala Pul- The Black Bridge is playing at the NJ Cinefest 2009. Kala pul plays on Saturday October 10, 2009 at 9:30 pm at Loree Hall in Douglass Campus, Rutgers University's Film Co-op in New Brunswick, NJ.
Kala Pul played to an enthusiastic crowd at the 7th International Kara film festival in Karachi on Feb 14th, 2009. 300 or so people, or so I am told. Some pictures of Actor Mairaj-Ul-Haque with Mahesh Bhatt and Nandita Das who attended Kara as high profile guests.
Its been a while, but I completed Kala Pul in Nov 2008. It premiered at the SF International South Asian Film Festival organized by Third I. Other films included the excellent Ramchand Pakistani by Mehree Jabbar.
A good review of Kala Pul on Hyphen Blog. More coming.
Enjoy exotic sips, scrumptious nibbles and hot music at this historic venue where warehouse minimalism meets sophisticated sound technology.
Stood in line to realize that our tickets were no good, we were told $50 cash only and please don't waste our time. We waited with a group of extremely important people while the agent checked if the bar accepted credit cards, I exchanged a look with my friend Khurrum and said what the fuck are we doing?
So went to Rockit bar on Clement St, where Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs played on a Plasma and then ate at Spices resturant. I have to do better at schmoozing at Cannes :)
Experiences of the shoot got published in Film Arts Release Print magazine May/June
Also featured in Good Times magazine out of Karachi. "Reel action: . . . This up and coming film director will wow you with his art and woo you with his intense morality."
So now I need to start a woo and wow campaign :)
I had a major disaster. My G-tech Raid drive had a crash and I lost my edits as well as raw footage. My brother is visiting from Kentucky, I take him to to City Light bookstore and find a corner to shed some silent tears. I see a book, called Iron Eyes, an account of an Obaku Zen master Tetsugen Doko. His personal mission was to complete a wood block edition of the Chinese Buddhist scriptures in Japan. Legend has it that Tetsugen had to raise the money for the project three times in 18 years: twice his great compassion led him to give away the money he had raised to the starving victims of natural disasters.
and here I am crying about a crashed hard drive. Shame on me.
Today I finally finished my shoot blog. You can read it here on the second page. It has been nearly three months since the end of my shoot, but I had edit my thoughts and think about how much I need to share. However, as this months Wired magazine announces triumphantly, secrecy is dead, get naked and rule the world. Long live transparency and openness.
May be flying to Cannes from May 17th-23rd with Muder. We expect to meet some investors in hopes of procuring completion funds. We have also purchased entry into March Du Film 2007 event. My mother has labeled me a Sheikh Chilli, a sub continental sufi jester who dream of running a flourishing poultry farm from a handful of eggs in his basket. So be it.
Here is a list for Cannes.
1. Trailer + four scenes showing different sides of Karachi
2. Presskit, Posters,Postcards, T-shirts
3. Business Plan, Budget Top sheet, Script
4. Cell phones with operational Sim cards. Apple powerbook, Panasonic Camera
5. Formal clothing (summer suit & tie)
A few examples are attached. Still debating with Ali between the two posters (simple sucide vs complex train tracks). one thing is clear we need KALA PUL in romanized script so that non Urdu speakers can read and remember to google/ask it on the Internet.
Note: Lots of debate on the use of Zair, Zabar, Pesh since it is not used in written Urdu. But I feel it gives the script a more flowery feel and as Oscar Wilde said, "All Art is useless."
