3 weeks ago
EXCLUSIVE: Newton Cinema, a boutique accumulation location pinch a beingness crossed nan U.S., India and Sri Lanka, is making its Cannes Marché debut pinch a slate of prestige South Asian titles headed by Leftover, from Indian filmmaker Salim Ahamed, and The Gambler, from Sri Lanka’s Prasanna Vithanage.
Currently successful post-production, Leftover is nan communicative of a joined mates who embark connected a travel done displacement, caste and belonging erstwhile they study a shocking truth astir their son.
Written by Ahamed and P. V. Shajikumar (Takeoff), nan movie features an ensemble formed of acclaimed South Indian and Bengali actors including Arjun Radhakrishnan, Zarin Shihab, Tanmay Dhanania, Shweta Basu Prasad and Roshan Mathew.
Ahamed is champion known for his 2011 movie Abu, Son Of Adam, which won 4 Indian National Film Awards and was India’s charismatic introduction to nan Academy Awards. His credits besides see And nan Oskar Goes To…, Pathemari and Kunjananthante Kada.
“Leftover comes from silence, representation and civilized urgency,” said Ahamed. “It carries symptom without spectacle, dignity without explanation, and a shared quality acquisition that transcends borders. I americium grateful to present nan movie to nan world manufacture pinch Newton Cinema.”
The Gambler reunites Vithanage pinch talent from his award-winning 2023 movie Paradise – Indian character Roshan Mathew (also known for Richie Mehta’s Poacher) and cinematographer Rajeev Ravi (Toxic).
Loosely based connected Dostoevsky’s caller of nan aforesaid name, The Gambler is group against nan backdrop of nan casino manufacture successful Sri Lanka. Currently successful development, nan task has besides lined up formed including Shweta Basu Prasad, Prakash Raj, Lakshan Abenayake and Mahendra Perera.
Also produced by Newton Cinema, Paradise, nan communicative of an Indian mates touring Sri Lanka astatine nan opening of nan country’s financial crisis, premiered astatine Busan International Film Festival successful 2023 wherever it won nan Jiseok Award.
The 2 titles subordinate an expanding auteur-driven slate from Newton Cinema – founded by shaper and erstwhile tech entrepreneur Anto Chittilappilly – which has already enjoyed show occurrence pinch its early productions including Paradise, Don Palathara’s Family, Varun Grover’s short movie Kiss and Lalanna’s Song, from Megha Ramaswamy.
The company’s astir caller completed production, Mayilaa, is screening successful nan Cannes Marché aft premiering successful nan Bright Future conception of this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and picking up an Audience Award astatine Toulouse Indian Film Festival. Directed by Semmalar Annam, nan Tamil-language movie follows a female joined disconnected successful her adolescence who defies societal norms to activity financial independency pinch her young daughter.
Other upcoming titles connected Newton Cinema’s slate see Ahamed’s The Sorbonne Conspiracy and The Wild Hunt, from Nithin Lukose whose 2021 debut Paka (River Of Blood) premiered astatine Toronto International Film Festival.
“We are building a location for auteur cinema, for filmmakers whose activity carries a signature, a conscience and a logic to exist,” said Chittilappilly. “With Leftover, Mayilaa and our upcoming slate, our purpose is to guidelines pinch independent filmmakers, protect difficult and basal stories, and bring voices from nan margins into nan halfway of world cinema.”
The institution is successful last discussions pinch world income practice and home distribution partners for nan show travel and theatrical rollout of Leftover, Mayilaa and its upcoming slate. It has besides curated a slate of titles from different Indian independent producers looking for imaginative partners, funds, festivals and distribution successful Cannes.
Newton Cinema has offices successful Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Kochi, India.
