Slamdance / Budapest International Doc Festival 2019 – Tungrus
In a cramped apartment in Mumbai, a family considers eating their hell-raising pet rooster, so that they can reclaim their lives.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Rishi Chandna
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When I heard about an urban family living in the heart of Bombay, with a chicken as a pet, I was immediately drawn to it because of how absurd and unique their situation was. It was an act completely outside societal norms, especially because they were meat eaters, and because of the nuisance the chicken had become, they were deciding on whether to let it live or to eat it. I decided to make a documentary on their dilemma so as to talk about our relationship with the food we eat, and because it gave me the chance to do so within the framework of a black comedy.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Humour is subjective, and so are our food choices. Tungrus will surely make the astute viewer laugh at the absurdity of conflict it portrays, and it will also give viewers food for thought (pun intended); because it can be a starting point into a debate around our food choices which arise out of our cultural conditioning.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I grew up in a city, in a meat-eating family, where we ate chicken at least thrice a week. So, I never thought of chickens as pets, the way we think of dogs and cats as pets. It was always an animal meant for consumption, without any guilt or remorse. At the same time, the incredible density of human life in Mumbai has often given me glimpses of situations where the mundane intersects with the insane. In this manic cross section, nothing is considered too bizarre to witness in an unbiased way.
Tungrus is essentially a human story, and it is because we use animals as reflections of human consciousness, that each character in the film must probe the nature of affection, of loyalty, and even the ethics of eating another creature.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film divides viewers evenly because of the ending (which I can't give away here). There are those who villainize the family, and those who empathize with their situation and choices. Either way, both groups find their share of laughter and thought during the film.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It’s been eye opening to sit through audience screenings and to observe how different audiences react differently (yet uniformly) as the story progresses. I'm often struck by the intolerance of the average viewer towards the identity related personal choices of others.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want that this platform to make more viewers intrigued by the film's premise, so that they can go online and watch it for free. The theme of the film is of great personal relevance to me and I want to broaden my audience as much as possible.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
In my desire to broaden the audience, I would want buyers to host the film on their platforms, film festivals to programmer the film, and journalists to write about it. Distributors and sales agents can be of great help with this. And of course, I could do with a producer for my next project!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like people to receive this film as a rare example of a short documentary to come out of India, which honestly portrays a delicate anthropological conflict, with satire and unpretentious aesthetics.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Would you eat the one you love?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are developing a fiction feature which is about the intoxicating impact of excessive wealth on the human spirit.
Interview: January 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Tungrus
In a cramped apartment in Mumbai, a family considers eating their hell-raising pet rooster, so that they can reclaim their lives.
Length: 12:54
Director: Rishi Chandna
Producer: Rishi Chandna
Writer: Rishi Chandna
About the writer, director and producer:
RISHI CHANDNA is a filmmaker based out of Mumbai, and Tungrus is his first independent short film.
Key cast: The Bharde Family
Looking for: buyers
Facebook: Tungrus the film
Twitter: @tungrusthefilm
Website: http://www.tungrus.com
Other (press): New York Times
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Slamdance/Park City - January 27 & 30; Budapest International Doc Festival/Budapest - January 29 & 31; Short Waves Festival/Poland - March 19-24