This is an animated film based on the Ramayana, performed and produced by independent American director Nina Paley, who offers the movie for download, under a Creative Commons Licence, on her website.
The movie intertwines four different types of animation, each one offering four different approaches to the same chapter of the Ramayana. There is the story on how the movie was created and how the author came to think of it, how her personal life got mixed up with the project. There is the story of the chapter told straight forward. There is a musical version of it in which Sita -the main character- sings some classic blues that convey what is happening in the story, expressing Sita's feelings and mood. There is, finally, a review of comment of the story told made by two hilarious Hindu shadow puppets, who offer a witty interpretation of it expressed in an every-day language. There is even an intermission, as it happens in Indian cinemas, with a cute and kitsch show.
It can be confusing at the beginning, but once you understand what is happening, you immerse yourself in a movie that is original, clever and entertaining. Something completely different of what you are used to see.
The music is great, not just because of the blues.
The film has been controversial because the director did not know that the songs were still under copyright, despite the singer being dead for many years. The family sued the director for an astronomical sum, but they ended reaching an agreement in which she still has to pay $50,000, which is a tremendous amount of money for a starving artist who made a film almost entirely on her own, with Indian musicians and actors contributing to the music and voices for free, and her own money and donations.
There are not many independent animation movies being made by women. Only for that the story deserves praise. However, what makes the movie so good is its quality and originality, and its sense of humor.
You can donate -just if you want- and view the movie -for free- by visiting the website of the movie at triple w, sitasingtheblues dot com.
The movie intertwines four different types of animation, each one offering four different approaches to the same chapter of the Ramayana. There is the story on how the movie was created and how the author came to think of it, how her personal life got mixed up with the project. There is the story of the chapter told straight forward. There is a musical version of it in which Sita -the main character- sings some classic blues that convey what is happening in the story, expressing Sita's feelings and mood. There is, finally, a review of comment of the story told made by two hilarious Hindu shadow puppets, who offer a witty interpretation of it expressed in an every-day language. There is even an intermission, as it happens in Indian cinemas, with a cute and kitsch show.
It can be confusing at the beginning, but once you understand what is happening, you immerse yourself in a movie that is original, clever and entertaining. Something completely different of what you are used to see.
The music is great, not just because of the blues.
The film has been controversial because the director did not know that the songs were still under copyright, despite the singer being dead for many years. The family sued the director for an astronomical sum, but they ended reaching an agreement in which she still has to pay $50,000, which is a tremendous amount of money for a starving artist who made a film almost entirely on her own, with Indian musicians and actors contributing to the music and voices for free, and her own money and donations.
There are not many independent animation movies being made by women. Only for that the story deserves praise. However, what makes the movie so good is its quality and originality, and its sense of humor.
You can donate -just if you want- and view the movie -for free- by visiting the website of the movie at triple w, sitasingtheblues dot com.