TCCF Project: Suman Sen’s ‘Solo’ Cries out for Social Justice in India
Indian director Suman Sen (Oscar-nominated short film “The Silent Echo”) is at the 2023 Taiwan Creative Content Fest with his in-development debut feature film “Solo” (aka “Solo”).
The film will center around a story about a mundane 62-year-old diabetic insurance worker, Biplab, who is tormented by everyday trivialities. Feeling frustrated and hopeless about the community he lives in, he begins to question the government’s choice to erect a massive statue. However, his fight with a police officer inadvertently triggers a collective movement among people who share similar discontentment with their society.
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Set in Kolkata, the narrative is based on Sen’s father’s real experience during a municipal election. Sen was traumatized by seeing his 70-year-old father assaulted for standing up against a rigged election and then becoming the symbol of civic society.
“The incident left a lasting scar in my mind,” said Sen. “Our father’s generation has let us down in every way, leading us into intellectual bankruptcy, emotional isolation and political immobility through their disregard of our society and our nation. The title of the film alludes to the loneliness and vulnerability of an individual trapped in a pool of unproductive stagnation.”
“‘Eka’ is Biplab’s individual odyssey. We aim to examine the erosion of the nation’s foundational social structure as it moves towards a fragile future and failing aspirations,” said Sen.
Production is by Taiwan’s Flash Forward Entertainment, India’s Goopy Bagha along with Suitable Pictures, DW and Duo Film. It previously attended the 2019 edition of the Film Bazaar in Goa and has received funding from the Aide aux Cinémas du monde, a fund operated by France’s National Board CNC. The film is budgeted at $1,200,000 of which $700,000 has been raised.
Sen’s debut film “The Silent Echo” won 13 awards worldwide and landed distribution deals with HBO. Sen’s next short “Cry Me A River,” was shot in Taiwan and made with the support of the Information Bureau of the Taichung City Government.
“Kolkata is my hometown, it’s a place I have a complex, love-hate connection with. I’ve intentionally distanced myself from this city to maintain a clear perspective,” says Sen.
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