Cannes picks an Indian story

A project by National Award-winning director Shivajee Chandrabhushan has been short listed for L'Atelier that will be held at the annual film festival

Shivajee Chandrabhushan's The Untold Tale is among the 15 projects selected from 14 different countries for L'Atelier to be held during the Cannes Film Festival in May.


Writer and co-producer Triparna Banerjee

It marks the first time an Indo-French co-production has managed to garner this recognition. Written by Triparna Banerjee and to be directed by Shivajee Chandrabhushan, The Untold Tale is a romantic period drama about a young puppeteer's journey to India to meet her long-lost father.

This full-length two-hour feature film commences in 1950s Barcelona, gradually moves through Southern France and finally culminates in present day Paris and Northwest India. The entire plot spans two continents, 60 years and three generations.


Director Shivajee Chandrabhushan

Having already won a National Award for Frozen (his previous film in black and white), Chandrabhushan is pretty excited. He said, "The Untold Tale is my most ambitious project till date with top French female actors presently reading it.

With a French producer already in place and securing a platform like the Cannes Film Festival, I hope to further establish India's name as a country that has more to offer in world cinema." Since its launch in 2005, L'Atelier has been encouraging the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers by helping them complete financing packages for their films.

The directors of the chosen projects will take part in this year's Cannes Film Festival with their producers
"L'Atelier is a part of Cin ufffdfondation programme which selects projects under development on the basis of the screenplay and the past work of a director.

This is a huge honour and also a great opportunity as it will help us gain access to international co-production and distribution," informed Banerjee who is also the Indian producer of this project.