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A River Called Titas

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La Rivière Titash

A River Called Titas

(Titash ekti nadir naam)

by Ritwik Ghatak

India

 

La Rivière Titash

Director: Ritwik Ghatak

Script: Ritwik Ghatak after Advaita Mallabarman's novel

Cinematographer: Baby Islam

Editor: Basheer Hussain

Sound: Amzad Hussain

Music: Ustad Bahadur, Ritwik Ghatak, Ahidul Haq

Cast: Prabir Mitra, Rosy Samad, Kabari Choudhury, Roshan Jamil, Rani Sircar, Sufia Rustam, Ritwik Ghatak

Production: Habibur Rahman Khan, Purba Pran, Katha Chitra

Year: 1973

35 mm, B & W, 159 min, 
OV Bengali with French Subtitles.

In Bangladesh in the 30ies, a fishermen community has settled on the banks of the river Titash. The day after their wedding, Kishore’s young bride is abducted by pirates. Kishore becomes mad. In the meanwhile his wife who could free herself has been looked after by fishermen from another village. There, she brings up her child alone. The fishermen observe how the river, from which they make their living, gradually dries up. Weakened by the famine, they run away from the peasants who are turning this miraculous land into productive paddy fields. They do not only lose their sole living, but also their identity. The river, the source of life, which man’s cupidity has dried up, is one of the film’s main characters. The film is located in Bangladesh which was still part of India at the time of the novel written by an educated fisherman. This is one of the last films directed by Ritwik Ghatak; a premonitory film. Water, source of life is at stake in the profits!

 

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