Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

July 2 - 10, 2010

The Wild Bull
( Valu )

Colour, 35 mm
India, 2008, 120 min
Section: Another View
Film trailer: Higher quality | Lower quality

Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Screenplay: Girish Pandurang Kulkarni, Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Dir. of Photography: Sudhir Palsane
Music: Mangesh Dhakde
Designer: Ranjeet Desai, Sachin Nevase
Editor: Neeraj Voralia
Producer: Ganpat Kothari, Prashant Pethe, Girish Pandurang Kulkarni, Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Production: Aantarik Films
Sales: Aantarik Films

Cast

Atul Kulkarni, Mohan Agashe, Bharati Acharekar, Girish Kulkarni, Nandu Madhav, Renuka Daftardar

Synopsis

The residents of a small village are terrorized by the rampage of a wild bull for so long that they finally decide to capture it. The preparations take four days and precipitate the fortunes, relationships and dreams of the diverse protagonists who participate: among them is an experienced game hunter from the city, two village leaders vying for power, the lovers Sangi and Shivaji, Bhutjje and his wife, whose most ardent dream has been to build their own latrine, the local priest, an old woman who takes the bull’s side – and an amateur filmmaker in front of whose camera the locals intend to show off… Why do some people want to catch the animal while others are trying to save it? Whose decision is it that the bull is mad and needs taming, asks director Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni. This enchanting comedy is full of visual energy and also hope that joy of life, innocence and a need for understanding will ultimately take precedence over pointless bickering. In a simple allegory rooted in the realities of India but at the same time spryly addressing universal experiences, the “maniacal” bull represents the free will that civilisation tries to destroy when it surpasses rational experience and jeopardises the rules.

About the director

Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni (b. 1976, India) graduated from the Film and Television Institute in Pune, India, and started out as a director of short features and documentary films (including Satyakam, Save the Children, Darshan). He drew the attention of the critics three years ago with his 22-minute film The Grinding Machine (Girni, 2005), which tells of a poor family whose life is changed for better and worse by the electrical device of the title. The film was hailed for its portrayals and natural performances, and drew audiences not only in the director’s native country but also at a number of international festivals and exhibitions (winning the short film competition at the Fresh Film Fest in 2005, among others). His latest film The Wild Bull received the awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography in 2008 at the International Film Festival in Pune, India, and also enjoyed successful screenings at the international film festival in Rotterdam.