I've seen a variety of films (of course) and since I'm working at creating my own voice these two films have been very helpful. Both of them are foreign films centered around the lives of Bengali (Indian ethnic group) people.
First one I saw was Namesake
Amazing movie about self searching and discovery. A huge tear jerker!! Must buy two boxes of kleenex for this one. It reminded me of my childhood, my parents and how I miss my home. Gogol (the main character) tries to find himself after his father's death. That included accepting himself and honouring his roots.
Many young immigrants (or first generation immigrants)in the West face this issue of lack of identity and understanding of who they are. I grew up in Africa and yet I don't know what it means to be African. It is quite sad but my westernized mindframe has been both a blessing and a curse. I didn't exactly understand its impact on my life until recently (about a year ago) when I wanted to write an authentic African piece. It was pathetically evident in the way I struggled with finding my own voice as a filmmaker and writer.
Sometimes I wish I could go back home and rid myself of all the western stuff to live an idyllic simple life for about a year and learn all I can .
This movie on a much deeper level reveals this confusion that has consumed most of us.
The second movie was Brick lane.
This is a movie about a shy and conservative Bengali mother who lives with her (arranged marriage) husband in London pre & post 9/11. She dreams of a relationship that involves some form of romantic passion evidently lacking in her own marriage. As a result, she has an affair with a handsome young man who falls for her. She later realizes the whole thing is an infatuation as she discovers her new found feelings for her husband.
This movie is beautifully written and shows the other side of women in arranged marriages. The main actress Tannishtha Chatterjee gives a phenomenal performace as this woman and stirs in me my passion to act. It is a Must See!
