Apur Panchali (Apu’s Song) | UK Premiere

Director: Kaushik Ganguly
Starring: Parambrata Chatterjee, Ardhendu Banerjee, Parno Mitra.
Run time: 97 mins | Recommended Certificate: 12A
Language: Bengali with English subtitles | Year: 2013 | Country: India

One of the greatest child characters in cinema history is the little boy Apu in Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road). Kaushik Ganguly’s heart-touching, jewel box of a film is inspired by the real-life actor Subir Banerjee, who played the young Apu. 58 years after Pather Panchali a film student goes in search of Subir. He carries news that a German film festival are keen to honour Subir, but the student discovers a reticent older man, whose life has ironically reflected the tragic character he played. With sparkling character performances and intercut with Ray’s Apu trilogy, this film is cineaste heaven.