The prestigious BFI Flare 38th edition took place at BFI Southbank and on BFI Player in March 2024. The biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival in Europe, celebrates the best of queer cinema from around the globe. This year in particular featured fantastic content from South Asian filmmakers, including British South Asian filmmakers. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International
The short film IF, by acclaimed Bengali filmmaker Tathagata Ghosh is a 26-minute short tells the story of a lesbian couple who are torn apart because of an arranged marriage, but with a mother’s love, perhaps another future is possible.
If’ starring Adrija Majumdar, Shivamrita Chakraborty, Bimal Giri, Paromita Mukherjee and Ranodeep Nandy is based on “people and incidents around me, I wanted to search for love in the darkness the film sheds light on-the challenges faced by queer individuals. My film is my cry of anguish in these troubled times. A cry which I hope will be heard and won over by love,” says Ghosh.
Director & Producer: Tathagata Ghosh
Writer: Buan G.
Cast: Adrija Majumdar, Shivamrita Chakraborty, Bimal Giri, Paromita Mukherjee, Ranodeep Nandy, Bina Ghosh
DOP: Sayan Biswas
Editor & DI Colorist: Amir Mondal
Sound Design & Film Mix: Anindit Roy, Adeep Singh Manki
Music: Nabarun Bose
Logo & Poster: Debanjana Haldar
Director’s Associate: Sanbarta Ghosh
Chief Assistant Director: Ashish Dubey
This is a film which is short in running time but mighty in impact. Excellent Acting, a crisp script, precise editing and seriously excellent Direction. This film is gripping also moving and is a must-watch.
About the Director: A Berlinale Talents alumnus, Tathagata has always believed in telling stories of people from different social backgrounds. People who do not have a voice of their own. Tathagata has written for various leading web film magazines as well about cinema and film making. His Bengali detective novel “Senilar Sonket” got published in the 40th Kolkata International Book Fair in February 2016. He has also directed numerous commercials, music videos and written screenplays for several projects. His last short films “Miss Man”, “Footprints”, “The Scapegoat”, “The Meat” and “The Demon” have travelled to numerous prestigious international film festivals and have won several awards. Filmography: The Demon (2018), Miss Man (2019), The Meat (2020), The Scapegoat (2021), Footprints (2023), If (2024).
ALSO READ: Kaushik Ray’s Poignant Short Film ‘The Lime Green Shirt’ Premiered At BFI Flare 2024
