“Nilanadukam” selected to premiere at the prestigious Montreal Festival Du Nouveau Cinema
Balaji Vembu Chelli’s Nilanadukkam (The Tremor) is set to make its international debut at the prestigious 49th Festival du nouveau cinema, which will be held this year on 17 and 18 October in Montreal in the Canadian province of Quebec. The film is a surreal drama that joins 13 other international projects in the Temps 0 section of the festival. The production house confirmed the news online. The festival describes the film as ‘a journey through hairpin bends of absurdity, despairing mockery and existentialist lament that tells the tale of a journalist lost in the wild’. The film is co-produced by Vivek Krishna Ramanujam, Overturn Media, and Fly On The Wall Films. The production house tweeted, “Excited to announce that our film ‘நிலநடுக்கம் / The Tremor’ will have its world premiere at the 49th Festival Du Nouveau Cinema.”
Temps Ø: The Titles Revealed via @nouveaucinemahttps://t.co/lyLYFO4BF6
— Fly On The Wall Films (@FotWFilms) September 9, 2020
Excited to announce that our film ‘நிலநடுக்கம் / The Tremor’ will have its world premiere at the 49th Festival Du Nouveau Cinema 🙂 #Nilanadukkam #TheTremor #FNC2020
However, the director informs that he will not be able to go to the fest due to the pandemic. “This year, the organisers are going for hybrid screenings, with only the locals being allowed to watch them in the theatres; the other festival attendees will be watching the films online.”
“It revolves around a rookie photojournalist who is trying to get his first major break. The photojournalist is played by Rajeev Anand, who was the lead in Manusangada. A few theatre artistes and some locals from Kukkal have acted in the film,” says Balaji, who has worked as an assistant director in Prasann’s 2013 romcom Kalyana Samayal Saadham.
Talking about the selection to the fest, which is scheduled to happen from October 7-18, Balaji informs, “It will be screened in the Temps Ø section, a competition section, and the film will be eligible for an audience award. It is a section that encourages experimental films. The exact screening date of the film is yet to be announced.” The section also includes films by popular arthouse filmmakers like Gaspar Noé, Abel Ferrara and the late Dennis Hopper.
