Lamakaan

With New Year 2023, Lamakaan brings to you some of the finest films of Hayao Miyazaki, whose birthday also falls in January.

About Hayao Miyazaki: Hayao Miyazaki, born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films. He is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished filmmakers in animation history.

Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985. He directed numerous films with Ghibli, including Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992). The films were met with critical and commercial success in Japan. Miyazaki's film Princess Mononoke was the first animated film ever to win the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year. It briefly became the highest-grossing film in Japan following its release in 1997; its distribution to the Western world significantly increased Ghibli's popularity and influence outside Japan. His 2001 film Spirited Away became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards. He is frequently ranked among the greatest films of the 2000s. Miyazaki's later films—Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013)—also enjoyed critical and commercial success. Following the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki announced his retirement from feature films, though he returned in 2016 to work on the upcoming feature film How Do You Live? (2023).

Film Title: Spirited Away | 2001 | 125 minutes | Japanese language subtitled in English |


About the film: Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Tohokushinsha Film, and Mitsubishi and distributed by Toho. The film features the voices of Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takeshi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Takehiko Ono, and Bunta Sugawara. Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro Ogino (Hiiragi), a ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood, enters the world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore). After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba (Natsuki), Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world.


Film Title: The Wind Rises | 2013 | 126 minutes | Japanese language subtitled in English |


About the film: The Wind Rises is a 2013 Japanese animated historical drama film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for the Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Walt Disney Japan, Mitsubishi, Toho, and KDDI. It was released in Japan on 20 July 2013 by Toho, and in North America by Touchstone Pictures on 21 February 2014.


SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

On this 26th January, the Indian republic will turn 73 years. As always the rulers have started preparations of the extravagant celebration and display of the might of the Indian state. But, for an ordinary citizen it's time to assess its performance of Indian republic vis-a-vis the tall claims made at the beginning of the journey of Indian republic. This is what we intend to discuss during this open discussion. All are welcome to join.

Moham attakalari will organize a Koodiyattam and experimental Mohiniyattam performance. Koodiyattam is the most ancient form of Sanskrit theatre that has been in practice in Kerala. A team of artists trained in Koodiyattam from Kerala Kalamandalam, among whom, two are faculty in the Fine and Performing Arts Department of GITAM University will present an abbrieviated performance of Jatayu Vadham.
The experimental Mohiniyattam performance, Panchaali- simhika Samvaadam, is a situation taken from the Kathakali attakatha Keechakavadham. The artist, Mythili will present two characters, Panchaali and the Demoness, Simhika. The performance is inspired by the technique of Kathakali.

Telangana Delphic Association holds its first offline public meeting in honour of Dr Akhilesh Misra IAS, the president of Delphic Association of UP.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

The Hyderabad Fountain Pen Club is an informal gathering of "Fountain Penthusiasts" where we gather to discuss pens and inks.

Calling all poets, translators and writers, lay people interested in mental health and dalit issues and everyone else to chai and samosa at Lamakaan on January 29 at 2 pm. We invite you to a quiet moment with Mumbai-based Jerry Pinto.
We find it difficult to describe Jerry or his work. Jerry is a visitor to the Hyderabad Litfest and we didn’t want him to leave before you had a moment with him. Jerry is a mentor of debut writers (mahimkajerry on Instagram has got valuable tips for young and old writers) and friend to all marginalised groups and communities. He brings with him the valuable, yet respectful insights of the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai which has been the nerve centre for many social reform movements in India. We will have a one+ hour session at 2 pm at Lamakaan where Jerry will speak for 10 minutes and then we open it to an interactive discussion. This is really not an open meeting but if you want to, you can bring an interested friend along
Jerry would like to describe himself as a poet, but he is a novelist, short fiction writer, children’s writer, translator as well as a showman. His Em and the Big Hoom was seminal to a public discussion on mental health in India, his translations from Marathi and Hindi have brought wonderful dalit fiction and non-fiction (including the issue of mental health) to the fore, his writings for children have brought a delightful twist to this literature, and his own novels and other writings mark him as a thinker and chronicler of our times.

His large oeuvre of work include

Poetry: Asylum, 2004. His poems are to be found in Fulcrum Number 4; An Annual of Poetry and Aesthetics, 2005) edited by Jeet Thayl; in Atlas; New Writing, 2006, edited by Sudeep Sen; and Ninety-nine Words (Panchabati Publications, 2006) edited by Manu Dash. I WANT A POEM AND OTHER POEMS, 2021
Prose: Surviving Women, 2000, Bombay meri jaan: Writings on Mumbai, with Naresh Fernandes. 2003, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. 2006, Reflected in Water: Writings on Goa. 2006.Bollywood Posters, with Sheena Sippy. 2008. Leela: A Patchwork Life with Leela Naidu. 2009, The Greatest Show on Earth, 2011, Em and the Big Hoom. 2012, Murder in Mahim, 2018, The Education of Yuri, 2022, Citizen Gallery : The Gandhys of Chemould and The Birth of Modern Art in Bombay, 2022

For Children : Talk of the Town with Rahul Srivastava, Puffin, Phiss Phuss Boom, with Anushka Ravishankar and Sayoni Basu. Duckbill, 2013. When Crows Are White, 2013, Monster Garden, 2016, My Daddy and the Well: It's not a book, it's a hook! (Hook Books), Postcards from Bombay, 2019, A bear for Felicia, 2008, Puffin Book of Spooky Ghost Stories
Edited A Book of Light: When a Loved one has a Different Mind 2019, A BOOK OF NEW BEGINNINGS, 2022, Indian Christmas : An Anthology with Madhulika Liddle

Translated BATTLEFIELD by Vishram Bedekar, 2021, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANDU : A FRACTURED SOUL-MEMOIR by Swaraj Deepak, 2021, When I Hid My Caste: Stories by Baburao Bagul, 2018, Strike a Blow to Change the World by Meghnath Awad, 2018, Baluta by Daya Pawar, 2015

Inauguration ceremony of Natarang's 5th production oriented workshop for the already registered students of the workshop.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

Hum Aiseech Bolte is a collection of poems celebrating and remembering Hyderabad, by a group of contemporary poets from the city, representing a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Edited by US-based poet Usha Akella, the volume has contributions from 35 poets. This event will feature readings from several of these poets.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.


Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).


Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The 400 Blows | 1959 | 99 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

About the film: My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story of a professor's two young daughters (Satsuki and Mei) and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

This is a Support Meeting for the LGBTQIA+ community in Hyderabad.

"Yaatri gan Kripya dhyan dein!

Agyatpuram ki taraf jaane waali train no XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ platform no 2024 par jald hi aane waali hai. Aapse Agrah hai ki apne samaan ka dhyaan rakhein aur platform par hi baithe rahein

Passengers please pay attention! The train to Agyatpuram, XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ is soon going to arrive at platform No. 2024. You are requested to please take care of your belonginings and please remain seated at the platform."

Oh you too have come! Yes, please join me. Hum tho kab se baithe huye hain yahan pe. Sorry, angrezi mein- I have been waiting over here god knows since when. This mardoot train doesn’t arrive only. What train are you here for? Trans-Twitter express? Or Trans-hot-shot-start-up express? Ki Trans-nirbharta express?

Arre, I know all the trains that pass through this station, haan! You see, waiting is like second skin to me- there is so much you absorb while waiting! Have you also waited for something for a long time- not knowing when to abandon that wait? weight? When to just be? or when to just run away from it all and do something else altogether- may be as a distraction? May be as a life-long thing?

Who knows? Sab ka apna kissa hai…Everyone has a story to tell…nahin ji?

So come! and don’t worry, this will not be a heavy dard bhari daastan - some meetha dard only. Come!

Book tickets here:
Tickets at: https://rzp.io/l/Avataridevi

Topic: Growing Communalisation and Violence in India: Responses of Civil Society in Different Cities Conversation with Mr. Suresh Khairnar - Veteran Peace Activist


5th February 2023: 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Lamakaan- Road No. 6 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Organized by COVA Peace Network
Contact: 87128 06553


DR. SURESH KHAIRNAR is a founder member of NAPM, CNDP, and PUCL and is associated with many Gandhian and peace organizations in India and South Asia.
Engaged in preventing communal violence and promoting peace for over 35 years, he helped establish 115 Mohalla Committees in Bhagalpur that remain functional and ensure peace to this day.
Dr. Khairnar enquired into over 60 communal and caste incidences and Human Rights violations in India and Abroad.


*Notable investigations were for Bhagalpur, Mumbai, Muzaffar Nagar, and Gujarat Communal Riots; Batla House incidence, Malegaon Bomb Blast, 26/11Mumbai Terror Attack, Enquiry of Kashmiri Pandits in different camps in Jammu Region and Mecca Masjid Bomb Blasts.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Ballet performances by children ages 4-12

BREAKING BARRIERS: THE STORY OF A DALIT CHIEF SECRETARY
by KAKI MADHAVA RAO (IAS Retd)

BOOK DISCUSSION

Speakers:

Sujatha Surepally
Professor & Head, Dept of Sociology, Satavahana University

Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, The India Forum

K.Y. Ratnam, Associate Professor, Dept of Political Science, University of Hyderabad

Moderated by:
Kalpana Kannabiran, Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The Soft Skin | 1964 | 113 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

The Soft Skin (French: La peau douce) is a 1964 French-Portuguese romantic drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, and Nelly Benedetti. Written by Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard, the film is about a successful married publisher and lecturer who meets a beautiful air hostess with whom he has a love affair. The film was shot on location in Paris, Reims, and Lisbon, and several scenes were filmed at Paris-Orly Airport. At the 1964 Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or. Despite Truffaut's recent success with Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows, The Soft Skin did not do well at the box office

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Legendary director K Vishwanath breathed his last at his residence in Hyderabad on 2nd February 2023.

Lamakaan pays rich homage to the doyen of Telugu cinema by recollecting his great works and screening one of his critically acclaimed movies.


Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, One of the most prolific filmmakers of Telugu cinema, he received international recognition for his works and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema. He was honored with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981.

After serving as an assistant director for several years, Viswanath debuted as a director in 1965 with “Aatma Gowravam.” A glittering career in the Telugu-language film industry followed with highlights including “Kalam Marindi” (1972), “Sarada” (1973), “O Seeta Katha” (1974), “Jeevana Jyoti” (1975), “Siri Siri Muvva” (1976), “Sankarabharanam” (1980), “Saptapadi” (1981), “Sagara Sangamam” (1983), “Swathi Muthyam” (1986), “Sirivennela” (1986), “Swayam Krushi” (1987) and “Aapadbandhavudu” (1992).

Viswanath also enjoyed a career in the Hindi-language film industry with several hit films including “Sargam” (1979), “Kaamchor” (1982), “Shubh Kaamna” (1983), “Jaag Utha Insan” (1984), “Sur Sangam” (1985), “Sanjog” (1985), “Eeshwar” (1989), “Sangeet” (1992) and “Dhanwan” (1993).

During the course of his filmmaking career the themes Viswanath tackled included the Indian caste system, disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and the challenges faced by Indian classical performing art forms.


K Viswanath won five National Film Awards. He also has several Nandi Awards and Filmfare Awards to his credit. Viswanath was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2017.

Film: Swathi Muthyam | 1986 | 161 Minutes | Telugu Language |

About the film: Swathi Muthyam (transl. White pearl) is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath and produced by Edida Nageswara Rao. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Raadhika, while Gollapudi Maruti Rao, J. V. Somayajulu, Nirmalamma, Sarath Babu, and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. The soundtrack and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Swathi Muthyam depicts the plight of a young widow who is rescued by an autistic man.

Theatrical Mushaira of famous Urdu poets of Deccan.

Justice to Bilkis Bano and other women subjected to violence

A 2002 Gujarat gangrape survivor Bilkis Bano who also lost 14 family members including a 3 years old daughter lives in the fear of 11 convicts who have been set free by the government with the consent of court. The rapists and murders were not only honoured but a BJP MLA, who was on the committee to decide remission of sentence, has described some of the convicts as sanskari Brahmins.
While Bilkis Bano clearly became a fodder for communal politics, especially in Gujarat, recent murders of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand and Shraddha Walkar in Delhi and complaints and protest against sexual harassment of women wrestlers against the president of Wrestling Federation of India, a powerful member of Parliament of BJP, shows that patriarchy has a virtual stranglehold over our society.
Starting from 1848 school for girls by the Phule couple we have come a long way where women are formally not denied any position previously considered only male bastions but how long do we have to go before we can truly call ourselves a gender equal society inclusive of the now prominent and visible LGBTQIA+ community?


Date and day: 11 February, 2023, Saturday

Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Venue: Lamakaan, Off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

An event with Queer love stories and performances of queer love with queer art exhibition

Hyderabad Cinephiles is screening John Carpenter’s sci-fi movie “They Live” on Sunday, 12th February at 7:00 pm. Based on the short-story “Eight O'Clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson, the movie follows the unnamed protagonist who, on a usual day of hardship, stumbles upon something that changes the course of his life - a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t let him not see anymore.

The screening will be followed by a discussion on various aspects of the movie.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: Stolen Kisses | 1968 | 91 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Stolen Kisses (French: Baisers volés) is a 1968 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig and Claude Jade. It continues the story of the character Antoine Doinel, whom Truffaut had previously depicted in The 400 Blows (1959) and the short film Antoine and Colette (1962). In this film, Antoine begins his relationship with Christine Darbon, which is depicted further in the last two films in the series, Bed & Board (1970) and Love on the Run (1979).


Film Title: Day for Night | 1973 | 116 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Day for Night is a 1973 romantic comedy-drama film co-written and directed by François Truffaut, starring Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Léaud and Truffaut himself. The original French title, La Nuit américaine ("American Night"), refers to the French name for the filmmaking process whereby sequences filmed outdoors in daylight are shot with a filter over the camera lens (a technique described in the dialogue of Truffaut's film) or also using film stock balanced for tungsten (indoor) light and underexposed (or adjusted during post-production) to appear as if they are taking place at night. In English, the technique is called day for night.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Urdu Shaahkaar: Masterpieces of Urdu Poetry
A conversation between S.M. Shahed and Mir Ali Husain

Shahed and Husain will talk about the works of great Urdu poets including Mirza Ghalib, Josh Malihabadi, Mohinder Singh Bedi, Balmukund Arsh Malsiani, Parveen Shakir, Brij Narayan Chakbast, Fahmida Riaz, Pandit Anand Mohan Gulzar Dehlavi, and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, among others.

S.M. Shahed is the force behind urdushahkar.org, one of the most important resources of Urdu poetry, with a rich and growing variety of content for both the rank beginner and the Urdu expert. Mir Ali Husain is an author, scriptwriter, and the lyricist of several songs including the super-hit "Ye Hausla" from the movie "Dor".

Performing Classical Dance (Bharatnatyam)

With New Year 2023, Lamakaan brings to you some of the finest films of Hayao Miyazaki, whose birthday also falls in January.

About Hayao Miyazaki: Hayao Miyazaki, born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films. He is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished filmmakers in animation history.

Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985. He directed numerous films with Ghibli, including Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992). The films were met with critical and commercial success in Japan. Miyazaki's film Princess Mononoke was the first animated film ever to win the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year. It briefly became the highest-grossing film in Japan following its release in 1997; its distribution to the Western world significantly increased Ghibli's popularity and influence outside Japan. His 2001 film Spirited Away became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards. He is frequently ranked among the greatest films of the 2000s. Miyazaki's later films—Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013)—also enjoyed critical and commercial success. Following the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki announced his retirement from feature films, though he returned in 2016 to work on the upcoming feature film How Do You Live? (2023).

Film Title: Spirited Away | 2001 | 125 minutes | Japanese language subtitled in English |


About the film: Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Tohokushinsha Film, and Mitsubishi and distributed by Toho. The film features the voices of Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takeshi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Takehiko Ono, and Bunta Sugawara. Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro Ogino (Hiiragi), a ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood, enters the world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore). After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba (Natsuki), Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world.


Film Title: The Wind Rises | 2013 | 126 minutes | Japanese language subtitled in English |


About the film: The Wind Rises is a 2013 Japanese animated historical drama film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for the Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Walt Disney Japan, Mitsubishi, Toho, and KDDI. It was released in Japan on 20 July 2013 by Toho, and in North America by Touchstone Pictures on 21 February 2014.


SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

On this 26th January, the Indian republic will turn 73 years. As always the rulers have started preparations of the extravagant celebration and display of the might of the Indian state. But, for an ordinary citizen it's time to assess its performance of Indian republic vis-a-vis the tall claims made at the beginning of the journey of Indian republic. This is what we intend to discuss during this open discussion. All are welcome to join.

Moham attakalari will organize a Koodiyattam and experimental Mohiniyattam performance. Koodiyattam is the most ancient form of Sanskrit theatre that has been in practice in Kerala. A team of artists trained in Koodiyattam from Kerala Kalamandalam, among whom, two are faculty in the Fine and Performing Arts Department of GITAM University will present an abbrieviated performance of Jatayu Vadham.
The experimental Mohiniyattam performance, Panchaali- simhika Samvaadam, is a situation taken from the Kathakali attakatha Keechakavadham. The artist, Mythili will present two characters, Panchaali and the Demoness, Simhika. The performance is inspired by the technique of Kathakali.

Telangana Delphic Association holds its first offline public meeting in honour of Dr Akhilesh Misra IAS, the president of Delphic Association of UP.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

The Hyderabad Fountain Pen Club is an informal gathering of "Fountain Penthusiasts" where we gather to discuss pens and inks.

Calling all poets, translators and writers, lay people interested in mental health and dalit issues and everyone else to chai and samosa at Lamakaan on January 29 at 2 pm. We invite you to a quiet moment with Mumbai-based Jerry Pinto.
We find it difficult to describe Jerry or his work. Jerry is a visitor to the Hyderabad Litfest and we didn’t want him to leave before you had a moment with him. Jerry is a mentor of debut writers (mahimkajerry on Instagram has got valuable tips for young and old writers) and friend to all marginalised groups and communities. He brings with him the valuable, yet respectful insights of the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai which has been the nerve centre for many social reform movements in India. We will have a one+ hour session at 2 pm at Lamakaan where Jerry will speak for 10 minutes and then we open it to an interactive discussion. This is really not an open meeting but if you want to, you can bring an interested friend along
Jerry would like to describe himself as a poet, but he is a novelist, short fiction writer, children’s writer, translator as well as a showman. His Em and the Big Hoom was seminal to a public discussion on mental health in India, his translations from Marathi and Hindi have brought wonderful dalit fiction and non-fiction (including the issue of mental health) to the fore, his writings for children have brought a delightful twist to this literature, and his own novels and other writings mark him as a thinker and chronicler of our times.

His large oeuvre of work include

Poetry: Asylum, 2004. His poems are to be found in Fulcrum Number 4; An Annual of Poetry and Aesthetics, 2005) edited by Jeet Thayl; in Atlas; New Writing, 2006, edited by Sudeep Sen; and Ninety-nine Words (Panchabati Publications, 2006) edited by Manu Dash. I WANT A POEM AND OTHER POEMS, 2021
Prose: Surviving Women, 2000, Bombay meri jaan: Writings on Mumbai, with Naresh Fernandes. 2003, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. 2006, Reflected in Water: Writings on Goa. 2006.Bollywood Posters, with Sheena Sippy. 2008. Leela: A Patchwork Life with Leela Naidu. 2009, The Greatest Show on Earth, 2011, Em and the Big Hoom. 2012, Murder in Mahim, 2018, The Education of Yuri, 2022, Citizen Gallery : The Gandhys of Chemould and The Birth of Modern Art in Bombay, 2022

For Children : Talk of the Town with Rahul Srivastava, Puffin, Phiss Phuss Boom, with Anushka Ravishankar and Sayoni Basu. Duckbill, 2013. When Crows Are White, 2013, Monster Garden, 2016, My Daddy and the Well: It's not a book, it's a hook! (Hook Books), Postcards from Bombay, 2019, A bear for Felicia, 2008, Puffin Book of Spooky Ghost Stories
Edited A Book of Light: When a Loved one has a Different Mind 2019, A BOOK OF NEW BEGINNINGS, 2022, Indian Christmas : An Anthology with Madhulika Liddle

Translated BATTLEFIELD by Vishram Bedekar, 2021, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANDU : A FRACTURED SOUL-MEMOIR by Swaraj Deepak, 2021, When I Hid My Caste: Stories by Baburao Bagul, 2018, Strike a Blow to Change the World by Meghnath Awad, 2018, Baluta by Daya Pawar, 2015

Inauguration ceremony of Natarang's 5th production oriented workshop for the already registered students of the workshop.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

Hum Aiseech Bolte is a collection of poems celebrating and remembering Hyderabad, by a group of contemporary poets from the city, representing a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Edited by US-based poet Usha Akella, the volume has contributions from 35 poets. This event will feature readings from several of these poets.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.


Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).


Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The 400 Blows | 1959 | 99 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

About the film: My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story of a professor's two young daughters (Satsuki and Mei) and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

This is a Support Meeting for the LGBTQIA+ community in Hyderabad.

"Yaatri gan Kripya dhyan dein!

Agyatpuram ki taraf jaane waali train no XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ platform no 2024 par jald hi aane waali hai. Aapse Agrah hai ki apne samaan ka dhyaan rakhein aur platform par hi baithe rahein

Passengers please pay attention! The train to Agyatpuram, XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ is soon going to arrive at platform No. 2024. You are requested to please take care of your belonginings and please remain seated at the platform."

Oh you too have come! Yes, please join me. Hum tho kab se baithe huye hain yahan pe. Sorry, angrezi mein- I have been waiting over here god knows since when. This mardoot train doesn’t arrive only. What train are you here for? Trans-Twitter express? Or Trans-hot-shot-start-up express? Ki Trans-nirbharta express?

Arre, I know all the trains that pass through this station, haan! You see, waiting is like second skin to me- there is so much you absorb while waiting! Have you also waited for something for a long time- not knowing when to abandon that wait? weight? When to just be? or when to just run away from it all and do something else altogether- may be as a distraction? May be as a life-long thing?

Who knows? Sab ka apna kissa hai…Everyone has a story to tell…nahin ji?

So come! and don’t worry, this will not be a heavy dard bhari daastan - some meetha dard only. Come!

Book tickets here:
Tickets at: https://rzp.io/l/Avataridevi

Topic: Growing Communalisation and Violence in India: Responses of Civil Society in Different Cities Conversation with Mr. Suresh Khairnar - Veteran Peace Activist


5th February 2023: 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Lamakaan- Road No. 6 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Organized by COVA Peace Network
Contact: 87128 06553


DR. SURESH KHAIRNAR is a founder member of NAPM, CNDP, and PUCL and is associated with many Gandhian and peace organizations in India and South Asia.
Engaged in preventing communal violence and promoting peace for over 35 years, he helped establish 115 Mohalla Committees in Bhagalpur that remain functional and ensure peace to this day.
Dr. Khairnar enquired into over 60 communal and caste incidences and Human Rights violations in India and Abroad.


*Notable investigations were for Bhagalpur, Mumbai, Muzaffar Nagar, and Gujarat Communal Riots; Batla House incidence, Malegaon Bomb Blast, 26/11Mumbai Terror Attack, Enquiry of Kashmiri Pandits in different camps in Jammu Region and Mecca Masjid Bomb Blasts.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Ballet performances by children ages 4-12

BREAKING BARRIERS: THE STORY OF A DALIT CHIEF SECRETARY
by KAKI MADHAVA RAO (IAS Retd)

BOOK DISCUSSION

Speakers:

Sujatha Surepally
Professor & Head, Dept of Sociology, Satavahana University

Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, The India Forum

K.Y. Ratnam, Associate Professor, Dept of Political Science, University of Hyderabad

Moderated by:
Kalpana Kannabiran, Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The Soft Skin | 1964 | 113 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

The Soft Skin (French: La peau douce) is a 1964 French-Portuguese romantic drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, and Nelly Benedetti. Written by Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard, the film is about a successful married publisher and lecturer who meets a beautiful air hostess with whom he has a love affair. The film was shot on location in Paris, Reims, and Lisbon, and several scenes were filmed at Paris-Orly Airport. At the 1964 Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or. Despite Truffaut's recent success with Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows, The Soft Skin did not do well at the box office

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Legendary director K Vishwanath breathed his last at his residence in Hyderabad on 2nd February 2023.

Lamakaan pays rich homage to the doyen of Telugu cinema by recollecting his great works and screening one of his critically acclaimed movies.


Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, One of the most prolific filmmakers of Telugu cinema, he received international recognition for his works and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema. He was honored with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981.

After serving as an assistant director for several years, Viswanath debuted as a director in 1965 with “Aatma Gowravam.” A glittering career in the Telugu-language film industry followed with highlights including “Kalam Marindi” (1972), “Sarada” (1973), “O Seeta Katha” (1974), “Jeevana Jyoti” (1975), “Siri Siri Muvva” (1976), “Sankarabharanam” (1980), “Saptapadi” (1981), “Sagara Sangamam” (1983), “Swathi Muthyam” (1986), “Sirivennela” (1986), “Swayam Krushi” (1987) and “Aapadbandhavudu” (1992).

Viswanath also enjoyed a career in the Hindi-language film industry with several hit films including “Sargam” (1979), “Kaamchor” (1982), “Shubh Kaamna” (1983), “Jaag Utha Insan” (1984), “Sur Sangam” (1985), “Sanjog” (1985), “Eeshwar” (1989), “Sangeet” (1992) and “Dhanwan” (1993).

During the course of his filmmaking career the themes Viswanath tackled included the Indian caste system, disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and the challenges faced by Indian classical performing art forms.


K Viswanath won five National Film Awards. He also has several Nandi Awards and Filmfare Awards to his credit. Viswanath was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2017.

Film: Swathi Muthyam | 1986 | 161 Minutes | Telugu Language |

About the film: Swathi Muthyam (transl. White pearl) is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath and produced by Edida Nageswara Rao. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Raadhika, while Gollapudi Maruti Rao, J. V. Somayajulu, Nirmalamma, Sarath Babu, and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. The soundtrack and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Swathi Muthyam depicts the plight of a young widow who is rescued by an autistic man.

Theatrical Mushaira of famous Urdu poets of Deccan.

Justice to Bilkis Bano and other women subjected to violence

A 2002 Gujarat gangrape survivor Bilkis Bano who also lost 14 family members including a 3 years old daughter lives in the fear of 11 convicts who have been set free by the government with the consent of court. The rapists and murders were not only honoured but a BJP MLA, who was on the committee to decide remission of sentence, has described some of the convicts as sanskari Brahmins.
While Bilkis Bano clearly became a fodder for communal politics, especially in Gujarat, recent murders of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand and Shraddha Walkar in Delhi and complaints and protest against sexual harassment of women wrestlers against the president of Wrestling Federation of India, a powerful member of Parliament of BJP, shows that patriarchy has a virtual stranglehold over our society.
Starting from 1848 school for girls by the Phule couple we have come a long way where women are formally not denied any position previously considered only male bastions but how long do we have to go before we can truly call ourselves a gender equal society inclusive of the now prominent and visible LGBTQIA+ community?


Date and day: 11 February, 2023, Saturday

Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Venue: Lamakaan, Off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

An event with Queer love stories and performances of queer love with queer art exhibition

Hyderabad Cinephiles is screening John Carpenter’s sci-fi movie “They Live” on Sunday, 12th February at 7:00 pm. Based on the short-story “Eight O'Clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson, the movie follows the unnamed protagonist who, on a usual day of hardship, stumbles upon something that changes the course of his life - a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t let him not see anymore.

The screening will be followed by a discussion on various aspects of the movie.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: Stolen Kisses | 1968 | 91 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Stolen Kisses (French: Baisers volés) is a 1968 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig and Claude Jade. It continues the story of the character Antoine Doinel, whom Truffaut had previously depicted in The 400 Blows (1959) and the short film Antoine and Colette (1962). In this film, Antoine begins his relationship with Christine Darbon, which is depicted further in the last two films in the series, Bed & Board (1970) and Love on the Run (1979).


Film Title: Day for Night | 1973 | 116 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Day for Night is a 1973 romantic comedy-drama film co-written and directed by François Truffaut, starring Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Léaud and Truffaut himself. The original French title, La Nuit américaine ("American Night"), refers to the French name for the filmmaking process whereby sequences filmed outdoors in daylight are shot with a filter over the camera lens (a technique described in the dialogue of Truffaut's film) or also using film stock balanced for tungsten (indoor) light and underexposed (or adjusted during post-production) to appear as if they are taking place at night. In English, the technique is called day for night.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Urdu Shaahkaar: Masterpieces of Urdu Poetry
A conversation between S.M. Shahed and Mir Ali Husain

Shahed and Husain will talk about the works of great Urdu poets including Mirza Ghalib, Josh Malihabadi, Mohinder Singh Bedi, Balmukund Arsh Malsiani, Parveen Shakir, Brij Narayan Chakbast, Fahmida Riaz, Pandit Anand Mohan Gulzar Dehlavi, and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, among others.

S.M. Shahed is the force behind urdushahkar.org, one of the most important resources of Urdu poetry, with a rich and growing variety of content for both the rank beginner and the Urdu expert. Mir Ali Husain is an author, scriptwriter, and the lyricist of several songs including the super-hit "Ye Hausla" from the movie "Dor".