Sisak – Crowdfunding Campaign

Dream of being a successful director Faraz Ansari’s journey of started when he got noticed by prominent filmmaker Amol Gupte . He wrote, co-directed, scripted and assisted on various Bollywood films like Taare Zameen Par, Stanley ka Dabba and Gippi, but wished to make his own films.

Faraz-Ansari

He has already made one short film last year! With no budget, a team comprising of close friends, he created Siberia.  The film was sent to many film festivals across the world and won many awards, including a Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Best Director – Jury’s Choice.

His latest upcoming silent film SISAK we got opportunity to quick chit chat of this upcoming film for which he is looking for Crowdfunding.

Here is what he want to tell you more about his project SISAK.

sisak

Tell something about the SISAK.

SISAK is a silent film about two men who meet each other, over a period of many nights, in the Mumbai local train.

I am Faraz Arif Ansari, and I have been working in the film industry for the last 8 years as a Writer, Associate Director, Casting Director and Executive Producer on films like Fox Star’s ‘Stanley Ka Dabba’, Deepa Bhatia’s Award Winning Documentary ‘Nero’s Guests’, Karan Johar’s ‘Gippi!’, Zee Telefilms’ ‘Silvat’ (for Zeal For Unity). Apart from feature films, I have also made a short film ‘Siberia’ that has travelled to more than 30 international film festivals and won the Best Actress & Best Director Awards. Sisak is my second independent short film.

What is Sisak all about?

Two men meet in the Mumbai Local train over a period of many nights. Not a word is spoken, nor is there possibility for any sort of physical intimacy but what conspires between them is a wordless romance, so strong that it brings them closer to each other, night after night and perhaps, delivers them with transitory moments of fleeting happiness and solace from the unkind realities of the passing world outside.

What inspiration is behind this movie?

I’ve always been inspired by Haruki Murakami. A quote that stuck with me for many years after I had read his infamous ‘Sputnik Sweetheart’ also became the inspiration for Sisak. The quote being, “Lonely metal souls in the unimpeded darkness of space, they meet, pass each other, and part, never to meet again. No words passing between them. No promises to keep.” This instantly reminded me of the momentary unspoken romances that have happened to all of us through our lives – sometimes, with the passenger sitting next to us on the long flight, or the glimpse of someone that caught our attention as we crossed the road, or a short-lived conversation that will be treasured forever. Some love stories are brief but that doesn’t make them any less grand. Sisak is a tribute to these passing, lost and unsaid love stories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

What makes Sisak unique?

Sisak is India’s First Silent LGBTQ love story presented in the format of a short feature. It has been shot entirely inside the Mumbai Local Trains with two actors, a wafer-thin crew, a borrowed camera and no permissions. Generally, most LGBTQ films are about individuals coming out of the closet, or coming to terms with their sexualities or the various other social, political & other issues that are prevalent in the lives of a homosexual person, but Sisak isn’t about any of that. Sisak takes you inside a wordless world of romance, where a public transport becomes the most private place for these two men to silently observe and fall in love with each other.

Why does Sisak need to be seen by the world today?

In India, homosexuality is still illegal. Section 377 of the Constitution of India criminalizes sexual act between two consenting adults of the same sex. Sadly, what it also criminalizes is the right of an individual to love another individual of his/her choice/preference if they belong to the same sex. There is a reason why Sisak is a silent film. There is a reason why Sisak is a story of two men falling in love, silently. There is a reason why their love story unfolds on a public transport which is used by millions of people, everyday. What else will they do when the society mocks it, the laws make you a criminal for loving a person? Where will you hide but right in the midst of the crowd, to conceal yourself and find a moment of respite and perhaps, fall in love? This is why Sisak should be seen by everyone – to demystify this whole “homosexual” angle because it is nothing different than a person loving another person. Sisak takes us inside to the most intimate emotions that two individuals feel for each other. That emotion is love. Just that, both of these two individuals happen to be men.

Why crowdfunding ?

After struggling for two long years to make my first ‘mainstream’ feature film that has a homosexual protagonist, I realized that nobody wants to make a ‘commercial’ film with such a story or characters. Almost, every leading actor from the country refused to act in it. Almost every production house in the country loved the script and the project but backed out from producing it. And somewhere between all the trials, tribulations, refusals and long, aimless journeys in the Mumbai local, Sisak was born. With the help of my friends and colleagues from the film industry who believed in my vision and my script, I managed to shoot Sisak purely on my goodwill. Now, I am turning to crowdfunding for the final stage of the film – the post-production, and participating in national and international mainstream film festivals.

What are the risks and challenges associated with your project?

The biggest risk of making Sisak is that it is an LGBTQ film trying to break norms that exist in the LGBTQ film circuit and otherwise. Also, it is experimental in its form, because it is a silent short feature film.

What happens if we don’t raise enough funds for the film?

If enough money is not raised, Sisak might remain as a wonderful dream that was dreamed and realized only halfway through. However, I am hopeful that the entire LGBTQ community and every other individual who believes in equal rights for all will come forward and support this film. Also, given the USP of the film, I am sure that there are many individuals out there who want to see a story that is all heart and soul.

How you going to prove that you won’t just take all the money and run away?

Having worked in the film industry for the last eight years now and having done big films, I am sure that people will have enough faith in me and my film to know that the money will go in the completion of the film. Also, I have a wonderful cast & crew – A famous supermodel, a budding actor who is studying filmmaking, a well-known Director of Photography, a National Award Winning Sound Designer, and a bunch of people, including myself who have been tirelessly working behind the scenes for some of your most favorite films in the last decade! If this doesn’t convince people that this is a legit project, I don’t know what will!

SISAK Facebook Page – @sisak.thefilm

SISAK Teaser – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWeCFn2IbpM

SISAK Crowdfunding Campaign on Wishberry Link – https://www.wishberry.in/campaign/sisak/#/campaign

We wish you all the best for this project !!

Source of information :Faraz Ansari

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Ruchi Verma

Certified parenting teen practitioner, multiple Award winner, mother of two active kids believes in sharing the right source of information to readers which could help them in every possible way!!

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1 Comment

  1. Looking forward to watching the film. Your interview has come out to be fantastic. Superrr

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