Within Encounter of Conscious Realities program, with Sàn Art sponsorship, Hoa Sen University’s Art House Saigon will screen the movie Masaan directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. Masaan has won FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) prize and Prix de l’avenir during Cannes festival this year. After the screening, the viewers will have a chance to meet cinema scholar Ranjani Mazumdar, who will introduce and discuss Indian cinema through history and urban culture.

Masaan is director Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut feature set in contemporary Banaras, India’s best known ancient religious city located on the banks of the river Ganges. The film narrates the parallel stories of two different sets of characters, their encounters with love, sexual desire, taboo, tradition, and class hierarchy. Cell phones, cameras and social media play a significant role in the lives of all the characters. Devi is blackmailed by a corrupt policeman who has incriminating images of her on his cell phone. Devi’s father, Vidyadhar Pathak struggles to put together the money for the cop. The distant and somewhat hostile relationship between the father and daughter evolves into something else as they fight to preserve their dignity. Deepak, a boy from a low caste family falls in love with an upper caste woman. Their courtship unfolds over social media. A tragedy strikes and Deepak’s life catapults into abject grief. Yet through these tales of life, death and sorrow, Masaan struggles to search for hope, meaning and change.

* Please join the discussion about Indian cinema with professor Ranjani Mazumdar after the screening!

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How to register to the screening:
1. Send a message confirming your attendance to ART HOUSE SAIGON fanpage on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/arthousesaigon
2. Information needed to register: Full name, Email address, Telephone number, Seat quantity and Name of the movie. Art House Saigon will send a confirmation message when your registration is valid.
3. Like the Art House Saigon fanpage on Facebook (do not apply to those who already liked the page)
4. Click Share the Screening Event of Art House Saigon on your Facebook Wall.