|
Shaji Neelakantan Karun was born in Perinad Taluk,
Kollam, Kerala in 1952. His father N Karunakaran and mother Chandramati
moved to the state capital Thiruvananthapuram in 1963 and it was
here that Shaji took a bachelors' degree from University College.
He then joined the Film and Television Institute
of India, emerging with a diploma in cinematography and a president's
medal for excellence. After graduating from the Film and Television
Institute of India in 1974, he was appointed as film officer in
the state Film Development Corporation. Around this time, he teamed
up with the famed Malayalam auteur G Aravindan, and the two formed
a creative partnership that redefined the way films were made in
the state.
Shaji provided the late Indian director Aravindan
with unforgettable images in the latter's cycle of mythological
stories set in the State of Kerala. Shaji's camera hardly seemed
present at times when Aravindan turned his warm, perceptive gaze
on the nature, costumes, rituals, traditional dances and plays that
characterise the glories of a national heritage in this southern-most
corner of the subcontinent.
He won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography
in 1979 for G. Aravindan's 'Thampu' (The Circus Tent). Since then,
Shaji has come to direction by way of documentary shorts commissioned
by the State of Kerala for general and foreign consumption - eg,
Wild Life In Kerala (1979), Carnival Of Tourists (1980) and The
Elephant Hunt (1981).
He made his directorial debut in 1988 with 'Piravi'
(The Birth). It was acclaimed at home and abroad as one of the best
Indian films of the decade. This was followed by 'Swaham' (My Own)
1994. Both works received critical praise at International Film
Festivals in Cannes, Locarno and London.
For his next venture, Vanaprastham (The Last Dance),
Karun returned to the traditional art form of Kerala, Kathakali
- a combination of dance, theatre, and pantomime. With Vaanaprastham,
Shaji has completed a hat-trick at Cannes. He has also made many
short films and documentaries.
He draws inspiration for his fourth movie from
a Malayalam short story 'Gomathy Ammayude Veedu'. It is written
by Dr Valsalan Vathussery. The film, in Hindi, will be shot in Himachal
Pradesh. The film is about terrorism and its related aspects. The
title role is done by Rajat Kapoor (Making of the Mahatma fame).
PERSONAL DATA
1. Active Supporter of Parallel film Movement in India.
2. Worked as Manager to the Film Studios under Kerala State Film Development Corporation.
3. Juror to the National Film Festival of India –1988, 1990.
4. International Juror to film festivals such as Milan, Istanbul, North Korea, Fribourgh, Yamagata, Hungry Switzerland, Austria.
5.Advisory member Directorate of Film Festivals India 1989- 1992.
6. Vice Chairman General Council Film and Television Institute of India, Poona.
7. Governing Council Member of Film and television Institute of India Poona 1989- 1992, 1995 –98.
8. Technical Committee and Academic Committee member, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. Calcutta.
9. Former Vice Chairman, Kerala lalitha kala Academy.
10. Censor Board Member, Kerala 1990- 1993.
11. Advisory member, International Film Festival of Kerala 1998.
12. Council Member. National Center of Films for Young Persons and Children, Bombay.
13. Advisory member -Bombay International Documentary and short Film Festival 1998.
14. Represented India for many International Film Conferences. East Europe, USA, UK, Europe, East Asia etc.
15. Visiting Professor to Film Institutes of India.
16. Consultant to the Museum of Man, Bhopal Human resources Ministry Government of India.
17. Honorary member (Film studies), East West Center. Hawaii.
18. Governing Council Members, Institute of Journalism by Trivandrum Press Club.
19. C- Dit Academy Council Member for the Post Graduate Course on Science & Development Communication.
20. Governing Body &Executive Board Member South Zone cultural Center. (Govt. of India’ International Cultural Relations).
21. The Premier Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the first academy for Film and TV in India under the state Government of Kerala (1998-2001).
22. Chairman- Non Feature Film Jury for the National Film Award 1998.
23. Jury Chairman: Panorama Section for International Film Festival of India 2001
24. The First Filmmaker from India who represented to Cannes International Film Festival with all the films directed- Vanaprastham is the third film and also the third to be selected at Cannes. An honor bestowed on only a handful director in the world.
25. Recipient of the ‘ Prathibha Pranamam ’ in the year 2000 (civilian award instituted by the Government of Kerala to the 100 most prominent citizens of Kerala in their respective fields)
26. The Executive Director of the International Film Festival of Kerala 1998-2001
27. Awarded the prestigious decoration Chevalier dans I'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 2000 by the Ministry of Culture, Government of France.
28. Chairman of the Jury for the Indian Panorama Feature film selection constituted by Government of India for The international film festival of India 2004.
29. President of the feature film JuryInternational film Festival of Innsbruck 2004 , Austria .
30. Jury of the 19 thFribourg International Film Festival 2005, Switzerland.
|
