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Kolkata Film Bridges Hakka Culture to Berlin
2 Nov
Summary
- India's first Hakka-language short film screens in Germany.
- Film explores identity and belonging in Kolkata's Chinatown.
- Director worked with non-actors and translators for authenticity.
Shomik Basuray's 'From Nowhere,' recognized as India's first Hakka-language short film, is scheduled for screenings at Interfilm Berlin on November 12 and 14. The film is set in Kolkata's Chinatown and explores themes of longing, belonging, and identity. It follows a young man grappling with his girlfriend's migration, forcing him to confront his own rootlessness and sense of being an outsider. The cast includes Kenneth Emmanuel Liao, Chin Chen Hillary Chu, Joanne Lee, and Clement Tseng, all from the Kolkata Hakka Chinese community.
The film was shot in Tangra and Tiretta Bazaar, utilizing a striking visual style with a rich red palette and a neon noir aesthetic inspired by Asian cinema. Director Basuray was inspired to create the film after connecting with the Hakka Chinese community in Kolkata, aiming to capture their experiences and the potential erasure of their culture. He worked closely with translators and cultural experts, as the script was originally written in English.
Basuray also conducted intensive acting workshops with the non-professional cast over several months. Kenneth Emmanuel Liao, who plays the lead, shared his personal connection to the themes of identity and belonging, describing the emotional flux of feeling both Indian and an outsider. The film previously screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival.
