Tiladanam to be screened at Venice

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">HYDERABAD: It was one of the two films from India that were screened at the recent Cannes film festival. But <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tiladanam</span>, directed by well-known Telugu film critic K N T Sastry, was barely mentioned for being the other Indian film screened at Cannes, along with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Devdas</span>.<br />Tiladanam has now been shortlisted for the Venice film festival and is likely to be screened in September in Italy.The film was selected by the Fipresci, an international film critics association, and was reviewed in the Critics Week, according to Sastry.<br />Prior to that, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tiladanam</span> would be screened on July 26 at the Asian Film Festival to be held at New Delhi.<br />The release of the 89-minute film, which portrays the plight of a poor Brahmin, was delayed at the Censor Board, with its members differing with the views of the film-maker. The film features the changing economic position of the Brahmins and their attitudes towards fellow Brahmins. <br />In the film, as a result of his poor economic condition, a pandit,who is not supposed to accept alms from the so-called lower castes, is forced to accept the same. <br />He is considered a beggar by fellow Brahmins who look down upon him. The pandit’s son, who joins an extremist movement, tries to help his father. But the father refuses to accept the money, saying it was tainted with blood.<br />“There are three types of Brahmins - poor, middle class, and the rich. The film aims at focusing the real position of the community in the changing times. However, there are people who refuse to accept the reality, and think that the film only aims at damaging the community,� Sastry told The Times of India.<br />Though there were some problems initially, the film has been receiving wide acceptance, and it was earlier screened at Mumbai and Kerala film festivals. “It is very difficult to release it as it is not a commercial movie. Only serious film lovers would like to view the film,� added Sastry. </div> </div>