‘The Lost Paradise’, a documentary directed by Dhanora Tahsildar Avinash Shembatwad, was showcased at the 23rd Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) on Sunday.
The documentary explores the struggles of the Adivasi communities in Jiwati taluka in Chandrapur district, who live on the edge of the Telangana border. These communities, facing the loss of their forests to mining and the impacts of climate change, strive to preserve their ancient traditions while navigating the pressures of modernisation.
‘The Lost Paradise’ reflects Shembatwad’s commitment to addressing social issues and using storytelling to raise awareness about the challenges faced by tribal communities. It draws from Shembatwad’s personal experiences working with tribal communities in Gadchiroli.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Shembatwad spoke about PIFF and his documentary. “In my journey as a filmmaker, PIFF will always hold a special place. I used to go to PIFF as a student by borrowing other people’s passes. We occasionally had to pose as volunteers in order to enter the festival. It is an incredible thrill to see my film screened at PIFF,” he said. “The aim was to tell this story of the tribals of Jiwati to the world. The audience’s incredible response has left our crew feeling completely overwhelmed. It is something we will always treasure,” he added.
Shembatwad’s previous works, including ‘Yathavkash’ and ‘Chunaav’, have garnered critical acclaim. ‘Chunaav’ earned him the ‘Best Experimental Director’ award at the 14th Pune Short Film Festival.
Meanwhile, ‘The Lost Paradise’ is 45 minutes long and features both Marathi and Gondi languages. Produced by Project Office, the film’s crew includes cinematographer Ajay Ghadge, editor Atharva Mule, sound designer Ajinkya Jumale, and music composer Tanmay Sancheti.
