KAPILA

61 Min.13Sec./Digital/Col/Malayalam/dated 28.08.2014

 

Synopsis:

The film sketches the creative life of the protagonist Kapila. The film’s narrative is structured as one day in the life of a Koodiyattam performer. The film will start at dawn, by capturing the eye-movement rehearsals are Kapila does with her father. The eye-movement rehearsals are rigorous eye exercises and will throw light on the advanced acting techniques deployed within the art form. Then, the film will also capture the voice rehearsals Kapila goes through every day to train her voice to attune it to the art’s conventions.

All these take place at “Nadanakairali”, which is the dwelling place of her parents, which also functions as a training and research institute for the art form. The film will capture glimpses of Kapila’s father teaching certain performance to students and Kapila herself witnessing this, and his contribution to the art by a recording of the mudras/hand gestures involved in it. It will also capture Kapila’s mother who has made a song our of these mudras/hand gestures and is teaching them to students.

The film will follow Kapila through the noon, through interaction with her troupe members and dancing lessons she gives to students of a younger generation.

 

Director           :          Sanju Surendran

Producer          :           Films Division

Won “Best Art and Culture film” in the 62nd National Film Awards
Won “Special Jury Award” in Vision du reel Film Festival, Switzerland
Won “Best Documentary Film” in 9th SiGNS Film Festival, Kerala