Touching sensitivity through humour in films at fest

By Shreya Dattatraya Chougule

"We share the same experiences. Maybe we can face the grief through some humour," said Miri Urman as she discussed her film 'It’s a Wrap' at the 18th Asian Women's Film Festival.

Miri Urman's non-fiction film 'It’s a Wrap' was featured on the second day of the three-day film festival under the segment Umbilical. The film shows Urman’s ailing mother. The mother, Haya, decides to stop eating or take medicines as she accepts her fate. Weaved through humour and emotions, the story sails through Haya preparing a farewell and Urman trying to accept what is inevitable.

“It was difficult for me to look at the film as I was on screen, however, I just accepted it. I took the responsibility to go through the process,” said Urman, as she spoke about how the personal connect with the film made it an emotional journey for her. “Through the movie I wanted to tell people don’t fear death. The dying people are not afraid, they have accepted it just like my mother.”

Miri Urman also talked about how the theme for the movie came to be. “The theme chose me. We just decided to start filming as my mother decided to bid farewell. A year later we revisted the films and were amazed by the memories we made despite the waiting grief,” she said. She discussed how the story or the material did not matter because she wished to put everything on screen as it is.

“My mother was a humorous and happy person even during her last days. While we recorded she said a lot of funny things and it was important to bring it in the final product,” said Urman highlighting the topic of risks of humour in a sensitive film. “We specially asked the musicians to not put tragic music. Instead, we requested for light music that complemented well with my mother’s mood during the film," Urman said as she shared the process of inculcating humour in a movie that talks about grief and death.

Urman finally shared the overwhelming response she received from the audience. "People tell me how much the liked my film... How much they enjoyed it. They never expected a movie to talk about losing loved ones that packed emotions other than sadness," Urman said.

Bennett University’s Times School of Media is a key partner in the 18^th IAWRT Asian Film Festival. Its students are playing an important role as volunteers and rapporteurs.


(The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)