Last Film Show

This is a very good film overall. I will therefore skip on already provided here delights of cinemas paradisos.... However, what other reviewers didn't notice is that this visual masterpiece balances our delights in films with several statements - produced by the local film "expert", namely Fazal, the operator of a film projector in cinema "Galaxy" - that the films prime service is in the service of lies. Appropriately, the movie main character, a child who want to connect light and stories, is a consistent and consummate liar in the service of lies-bearing films - which leads him even to the stay in the juvenile house. Yet Samay does not stop - he will be lying further. Since Fazal is a Muslim and Samay is a Hindu one cannot but see delicate polemics between two religions concerning lies and its embellishments too. Fazal does not want to see more films.

This beautifully shot movie has certain fantastic elements: for example, it is hard to believe that a working film projector can be built by an elementary school pupil just from scrap metal. On the other hand, the most moving scene, of the death of the old projector and of the old film reels, has clear apocalyptic undertones - by fire these artificial stories are destroyed, and then they are reborn/reincarnated as cutlery and plastic jewellery. It may sound comic as you read it, but believe me, in cinema it will be a truly apocalyptic experience, thanks not only to cinematography and editing but to music, appropriately framing those scenes. In the end, constant associations of "light" and stories/movies together with the closing journey of fire & apocalypse conveys some religious, gnostic, or perhaps occult, ideas - like of the fight of Light with Demiurge, the god of matter. But is the Light a lie...?! The Question stays.

I have previously predicted and written that Pan Nalin is one of the most innovative and soulful filmmaker of modern era. Each of his movie is fresh with renewed moviemaking style and substance. And Last Film Show is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It's gorgeous and deeply moving, It's tragic and terrific, It's the purest cinema with unbelievable simplicity and poetry. Pan Nalin not only celebrates magic of movies but also the magic of being unknowing genius. From Lumiere Brothers to Tarkovsky, Pan Nalin packs in so many punches and passion filled plots in one single movie -as if he has managed to pay homage to the entire gamut of movie magic and entertainment industry.

Last Film Show took me on an incredible voyage as if I was in a trance. I was hypnotized by this skillfully crafted movie and totally blown away by the command of direction, cinematography, editing and sound design.

I laughed, I fell silent, I was anxious, I was scared, then laughed again -but in the end it made me weep. This movie is breathtaking and heartbreaking both at the same time. It touches you deep within. It is a top-notch quality entertainment that is so inspiring - you will come out of the movie feeling happy, positive and uplifted.

Super highly recommended -and watch this movie with your family and friends -and it is an absolute must for those who love cinema!

Open your heart and let the Pan Nalin flood your heart with his light...

This semi-autobiographical tale narrates the life of Samay from the moment he discovers the beauty that is cinema and falls in love with it. The cute boy with a sharp tongue who knows to humorously explain the reason behind his parents naming him Samay (Time) gets mesmerised by the idea of a film. Not wanting to make a film, his obsession begins with bunking classes to catch a film and when he doesn't have the money to watch one, he learns to bribe the projector guy Fazal to let him watch the films from the projector room. Thus begins his journey through the basic lessons of screening a film, taught by the Fazal.

The film spends quite a bit of time at the projector room with Samay feeling the light and how intrigued he is with what he sees on screen as well as the process that goes through to bring life on screen, turning light into stories. He has his bunch of friends back at home, with whom he experiments with showing film reels, each of these scenes were really charming. The cinematography is indeed the main lead here especially with the kitchen shots where Samay's mother prepares yummy dishes for him even after realising someone else is eating them.

The film stay too personal with each scene, sometimes feeling too over indulgent considering the entire film is from the little kid's pov and it is way too profound for him to relate that way. Battling his tea selling father's dislike towards films and ofcourse not realising the struggles of his father to make ends meet. Adding to that is the tryst with the law, again due to his actions without understanding the repercussions. The true heart wrenching moment is with the reels to digital transformation bit which is beautifully depicted on screen. The film's end however looked rushed.

Overall, it is a sweet tribute to cinema. With a runtime under 2 hours, one cannot complain much about the pace.

10th June 2021 I was at home, in Delhi but not in the best headspace. I wake up one morning to see a still of Samay from this film and it said, "I want to study light, because light become stories. Stories becomes film".

From that moment, I wanted to watch this film. I saw the trailer, I was full of so many questions in my head and I only wanted to watch it more. It reminded me of Toto's sparkling eyes in Cinema Paradiso and my heart was warm.

I happened to watch this film yesterday, it was literally 2 hours before the screening was happening in Bombay and Pranati asked if I'll be able to make it. I was sure, my happiness had no bounds. I enter the hotel to see the Director. I passed a smile, not sure if I should have or no until he smiled back. I wanted to ask him so many questions but I wanted to wait till I saw the film only to ask more(in my head).

We managed to have a very brief interaction right before entering the screening, the film started and after that I only know 2 hours later I was smiling while tears rolled down my eyes. I had no questions to ask.

Samay wasn't Toto, Samay was no one else but a little boy brought up in a tiny village in Gujarat with sparkling eyes and intoxicated love for Cinema.

I stepped out of the screening, didn't have words that could express what I felt, I walked to him with teary eyes and a wide smile only to say, "it felt like I've meditated for 2 hours".

I know digitalisation is inevitable but I'm still envious of that time when films were exhibited with reels and for a brief moment I felt like Samay while I heard all the Veterans talk of their experiences dealing with reels right after the screening.

I hope to keep Samay alive, deep down within me and people I love all through the years they work to tell stories, make films, create cinema with the honesty it deserves.

I would have loved if I could only experience this film for the first time again.

I watched this film with my whole filmmaking class. If you are a filmmaker you are gonna love this. I don't know why it got very less rating but it deserves more than you think. The director did a brilliant job. The cinematography of this Film was outstanding. And the story was just perfect. I think everyone should watch this. Seeing this gave me hope thats indian cinema can Still make good films. The acting and the dialogue was on point and the story was also well paced. If you love old Indian cinema then watching this film will be a trip down the memory lane. Overall a 9/10 movie and totally worth sending it to Oscar.