The film is scheduled to be screened at the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival, which is being held from 20-27 July.
G Aravindan’s Kummatty restored by Film Heritage Foundation and the Film Foundation
New Delhi - 19 Jul 2021 15:00 IST
Our Correspondent
Master Malayalam filmmaker G Aravindan’s feature Kummatty (1979) has been restored by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) in collaboration with Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna.
The Film Heritage Foundation has put out a tweet announcing the collaboration, stating, “FHF is delighted to announce that we have partnered with Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna to restore the legendary Indian filmmaker G Aravindan’s classic Kummatty (1979)”.
FHF is delighted to announce that we have partnered with Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna to restore the legendary Indian filmmaker G.Aravindan’s classic “Kummatty” (1979) https://t.co/4GtC0gdde7@Film_Foundation @cinetecabologna @NFAIOfficial pic.twitter.com/PrzDWeyTlC
— Film Heritage Foundation (@FHF_Official) July 17, 2021
Kummatty, which translates as Bogeyman, is based on a character featured in the folk tales of Malabar. One day, the bogeyman appears in a village and endears himself to children with his spirit of carefree abandon, songs, dance and magic. Becoming a Pied Piper-like figure, the children follow him everywhere, and he turns them into animals. But all ends well in the tale that weaves together magic, nature and the innocence of children.
The film was shot by cinematographer Shaji N Karun and it won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Children's Film in 1979.
The film is being restored at the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in Bologna, Italy, and is scheduled to be screened at the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival, which will take place from 20-27 July.
