“Ocean of an Old Man” film, “Global Lens 2010”

India’s “Ocean of an Old Man” film selected for prestigious “Global Lens 2010”

Rajesh Shera’s “Ocean of an Old Man”, said to be the first film ever to be shot on India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, has been selected in prestigious “Global Lens 2010” for exhibition in North America.

It will be part of ten films from across the globe to participate in the seventh annual touring film exhibition organized by Global Film Initiative (GFI), which after inaugural run at renowned Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York (January 14-29), will tour 35 cities of USA and Canada during 2010.

Congratulating the makers of “Ocean of an Old Man”, acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged India Government and large private corporations of India to promote independent cinema in India. India was full of creative and excellent filmmakers and they only needed an integrated effort in funding, encouragement, marketing/promotion, exposure in global avenues, and organization of world-level film festivals in India, Rajan Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, added.

“Ocean of an Old Man” (Hindi with subtitles in English, 84 minutes) is about the struggles of an elderly British teacher to run a primary school in Andaman and Nicobar islands in India after the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It has been called “a delicate meditation on grief and loss”. This is debut feature for Shera (director, writer, producer, editor), who was born in Rajasthan. Cast includes Tom Alter, Phalguni Gangopadhyaya, Manik Lal Rakshit, Iris Maja Tittlback, and Sipra Sarkar. Tapan Vyas is the cinematographer.

Other “Global Lens 2010” films include “Adrift” (Choi Voi, Vietnamese, Vietnam, Bui Thac Chugyen), “Becloud” (Vaho, Spanish, Mexico, Alejandro Gerber Bicecci), “Gods” (Dioses, Spanish, Peru, Josué Méndez), “Leo’s Room” (El Cuarto De Leo, Spanish, Uruguay, Enrique Buchichio), “Masquerades” (Mascarades, Arabic, Algeria, Lyes Salem), “My Tehran For Sale” (Farsi & English, Iran, Granaz Moussavi), “Ordinary People” (Serbian, Serbia, Vladimir Perisic), “The Shaft” (Dixia De Tiankong, Chinese, China, Zhang Chi), “Shirley Adams” (English & Afrikaans, South Africa, Oliver Hermanus).

San Francisco (California, USA) based GFI “promotes cross-cultural understanding through the medium of cinema". Susan Weeks Coulter is Board Chair. Founded in 1929, MoMA claims “extraordinary exhibitions and the world's finest collection of modern and contemporary art”. Glenn D. Lowry is the Director while Jerry I. Speyer is Chairman Board of Trustees.