SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS 'ESSENTIAL SATYAJIT RAY

The Sydney Film Festival announces a program of 10 essential features by the visionary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray, as selected by David Stratton. Audiences can see the films as part of the 69th Sydney Film Festival (8-19 June).

Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley said, “Satyajit Ray is one of the world’s most revered filmmakers. First and foremost a bold and visionary director and writer, his genius was broad-ranging, as evidenced by the wonderful scores he composed for many of his films.”

“Beginning with his 1955 debut Pather Panchali, Ray found a unique balance between naturalism and formalism, between simplicity and complexity.  His films are almost all set in what is now West Bengal and while they are beautifully, proudly specific to Bengali culture and society, they are universal.”

Ray was born in Kolkata in 1921. His languidly paced, observational approach to filmmaking is acclaimed worldwide and has had a huge influence on directors such as Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson. 

The 10 films in the program are:

• Pather Panchali (1955)
• Aparajito (1956)
• The Music Room (1958)
• The World of Apu (1959)
• Devi (1960)
• The Big City (1963)
• Charulata (1964)
• The Hero (1966)
• Company Limited (1971)
• The Chess Players (1977)

The program includes specially-imported 35mm print restorations, courtesy of the Academy Film Archive, of: The Big City, Devi, The Hero, Company Limited and The Chess Players.

The full Sydney Film Festival 2022 program can be found online at sff.org.au.