Panaji, January 22, 2021

“The past often shapes the present. Film history is a central part of film education. It’s important to understand those who pioneered cinema. To understand the creation, one has to understand the creator.” This was stated by filmmaker, media consultant, cinema academic and writer Prof. Pankaj Saxena, at an IFFI 51 virtual Masterclass on ‘The Beginning of Cinema’, held during the ongoing 51^st International Film Festival of India.

Prof. Saxena gave an introduction to the history of cinema, through films which were made as early as the 19^th century. He shared some old black-and-white films belonging to the initial era of film-making. These included films made by French filmmaker Alice Guy Blaché, who moved into filmmaking from her erstwhile career as a steno typist. “People were delighted to see moving images in 1890. Alice made close to a thousand films, including the 1896 silent film, The Fairy of the Cabbages / La Fée aux Choux.”

He also gave the example of French magician George Méliès, known for his 1902 adventure film A Trip to the Moon. The professor said that Méliès found the same quality of magic in cinema and became a filmmaker.

Another example he gave is that of Edwin Porter, who was working with Thomas Edison as a projectionist, later becoming an American film pioneer, producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer. Prof. Saxena said that many American filmmakers have been inspired by him in the past and present. His 1903 silent film The Great Train Robbery was also showcased during the masterclass.

About Prof. Pankaj Saxena

Pankaj Saxena (FTII, Film Direction, 1985) is Professor of Screen Studies and Research at FTII. He is a film maker.

A Graduate in Film Editing and Post Graduate in Film Direction, Prof. Saxena has written, edited, directed and produced over a hundred documentaries, short fiction films, television programs, public service advertisements and news stories.

In a professional career spanning over three decades, he has held senior management positions including those of Vice President at Discovery Asia Incorporated and Head of Programming at BBC Worldwide.

Over the last three years, he has conducted Film Appreciation Courses for FTII’s SKIFT initiative in more than 25 cities across various parts of India.

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DJM/SP/IFFI-51