Pather Panchali
Pather Panchali • 2h 5m
Directed by Satyajit Ray • 1955 • India
Starring Subir Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Karuna Banerjee
With the release in 1955 of Satyajit Ray’s debut, PATHER PANCHALI, an eloquent and important new cinematic voice made itself heard all over the world. A depiction of rural Bengali life in a style inspired by Italian neorealism, this naturalistic but poetic evocation of a number of years in the life of a family introduces us to both little Apu and, just as essentially, the women who will help shape him: his independent older sister, Durga; his harried mother, Sarbajaya, who, with her husband away, must hold the family together; and his kindly and mischievous elderly “auntie,” Indir—vivid, multifaceted characters all. With resplendent photography informed by its young protagonist’s perpetual sense of discovery, PATHER PANCHALI, which won an award for Best Human Document at Cannes, is an immersive cinematic experience and a film of elemental power.
Up Next in Pather Panchali
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Soumitra Chatterjee on PATHER PANCHALI
Actor Soumitra Chatterjee’s first film role was as the adult Apu in 1959’s APUR SANSAR, and he went on to appear in thirteen more of Satyajit Ray’s films. In this 2013 interview, Chatterjee recalls the impact that PATHER PANCHALI had on him and his fellow Bengalis.
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A Long Time on the Little Road
In 1957, director Satyajit Ray wrote an article for the British magazine “Sight & Sound” about the making of PATHER PANCHALI. Shortly thereafter, critic Gideon Bachmann recorded Ray reading his account aloud. That audio recording is presented here.
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Soumendu Roy on PATHER PANCHALI
Soumendu Roy first worked with Satyajit Ray as attendant to the 35 mm Mitchell camera the director had rented to shoot PATHER PANCHALI; in later years, he would become one of Ray’s main camera operators. In this 2013 interview, Roy shares his observations on Ray’s direction and recalls the produc...
