Finding a platform to showcase their work has long been a challenge for indie filmmakers. Even today, despite the mushrooming of regional and international film festivals, and the advent of streaming platforms, the scenario is still not completely favourable. In a bid to overcome this challenge, Atal Krishnan, a young filmmaker from Kerala, has devised an ingenious move — 'home screening'.
The 28-year-old, whose debut feature Woman With a Movie Camera premiered at the 2022 edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), is currently hosting limited screenings of his sophomore film Marthyaloka Ithihasam (The Human Odyssey) at his home in Aluva. For ₹100 a ticket, a maximum of four viewers can watch the 89-minute film on a television set in his modest room. No projector, no elaborate sound system, nothing fancy.
Atal cites being inspired by filmmakers like John Abraham and Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, who travelled with projectors to screen their films directly for audiences. While the idea itself is not entirely new, questions about the feasibility of such screenings have always persisted. For Atal, however, the objective is not financial gain. "We made the film two years back, and after a point, all I wanted was to show it to people. That's why I decided to screen it at home — the only place I could afford," Atal says.
But even that comes with challenges, like frequent disruptions to the power supply. "It has been almost 10 days since the screenings began, and I'm hosting up to three shows a day consistently. But because of the rains and regular power cuts, I'm forced to hire a generator, which alone can cost up to ₹800 per day. People prebook their slots and plan their day accordingly, so we can't just turn them away if there's no current."
While Atal's debut film, Woman With a Movie Camera, employed cinema vérité techniques to deliver a sharp critique of patriarchal ideologies and oppressive family structures, he ventures into dystopian fantasy with Marthyaloka Ithihasam. Shedding light on his inspirations, the filmmaker says, "I love films that push beyond the usual, like 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Lighthouse, When the Waves Are Gone, The Killing of a Sacred Deer... All these films have inspired me in some way or another."
Stressing on Marthyaloka Ithihasam, the filmmaker describes drawing heavily from Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra. "I've conceived it as a journey of human evolution. To be precise, it's my interpretation of Thus Spoke Zarathustra and the philosophy discussed in it," he says.
Set entirely within a house untouched by time, Marthyaloka Ithihasam unfolds across multiple chapters, each representing a different season. "It traces a slow, atmospheric journey through transformation, memory, death, and rebirth across the four seasons — summer, winter, rainy, and spring — as the world approaches the end of the human age." The film stars Divya Prabha, Surjith Gopinath, and Kumar Sethu, alongside Prasanth Madhavan, Saifudheen E, Jeevan Jos Kaitharath, and Jowin Abraham.
Interestingly, it took a while for Atal to arrive at Marthyaloka Ithihasam's current form. Originally made as Catharsis, a short film, the director decided to scrap it and expand the film after realising its true potential. The improvisations didn't stop there, adds Atal. "The initial version I submitted to IFFK had the structure of an anthology, which I wasn't very happy. I've now reworked it with a three-act structure, which I feel and hear is more engaging."
The whole idea of this home screening, Atal says, was to hear directly from the people. "After watching Marthyaloka Ithihasam, people are sharing their own interpretations and perspectives, which is encouraging for a filmmaker. Their feedback has been very kind, and I hope this word of mouth helps the film get picked up at some major film festival or an OTT platform."
Atal recalls discussions with Sony LIV during the time of Woman With a Movie Camera. "Krishand ettan liked the film and pitched it to Sony, but their selection criteria keep changing. All these platforms are now looking for projects involving big names or ones that performed well in theatres. Then how can indie filmmakers sustain?"
For Atal, the question extends far beyond the fate of his own film. "140 films were screened at the IFFK last year, but how many of them are available to watch today? Where did those filmmakers go? These are questions we need to ask louder until we find the right answers."
For bookings: +91 7012753061 (Atal Krishnan)