In the vast geographical and political area referred to as “South Asia”, characterized by a multiplicity of languages, aesthetics and practices, the “seventh art”, cinema, cannot but be thought of in the plural. Contemporary South Asia is not only marked by a long history of colonial rule, independence movements and postcolonialism, but also by a complex network of cultural exchanges taking place at different levels and along diverse trajectories. These are reflected in its rich film culture, from the Bengali “parallel” cinema of the 1950s, to the big Bollywood blockbusters of the nineties. South Asia has also been a privileged site for the foreign gaze to reflect upon itself through the encounter with the “other”. Following such insider and outsider perspectives, the cine-club Seminar offers an insight into South Asian cinemas through the screening of movies and documentaries from India and about India, ranging from Bengal to Tamil Nadu, as well as from Pakistan, Tibet, up to Southeast Asia.
Anyone interested is welcome to join the screenings.