Srinagar, Feb 3: Zero Bridge, a film Directed by US born Kashmiri filmmaker, Tariq Tapa is making its theatrical debut at Film Forum in New York on February 16.
The film shot entirely in Kashmir was nominated for Independent Spirit and Gotham awards, and has received huge acclamation at numerous world festivals, including Venice and Karlovy Vary.
“I spend my childhood summers in Kashmir along with family and was committed to make a film of daily life, far from Bollywood fantasies and Western news reports of militancy,” 29-year-old filmmaker, Tariq said in a communiqué.
“Zero Bridge is a story of two young people's struggle to retain their humanity, despite poverty, the ambience of fear, the traditional culture into which they’ve been born, and the fatalism, and casual cruelty prevalent in the society,” Tariq said adding “the film is a hopeful, human portrait of a teen pickpocket whose chance encounter with one of his victims upends his escape plans in this gritty, moving story about daily life in Kashmir.”
About the film plot, Tariq said: “Dilawar is a teenager whose plans for escaping his hardscrabble life are made more complicated when he develops an uneasy alliance with Bani, a young woman (herself fleeing an arranged marriage) whose passport he has stolen.”
The film has received rave reviews from the renowned film artists.
“A bull’s eye. Made on a shoestring, Zero Bridge is a surprise from start to finish and it will move even those with hearts of stone. The direction is as intuitive and spontaneous as Srinagar City [the film’s setting] is precarious, dangerous and claustrophobic."-Julien Welter, Arte-TV (France)
“Suspended between the new Iranian cinema of Abbas Kiarostami and American independent cinema.”- Marco Mueller, Venice Biennale, 2008. “Critics’ Pick. Packs an impressive emotional wallop.”- LA Weekly
The film has been written and directed by Tariq Tapa, produced by Hilal Ahmed Langoo, Josée Lajoie and edited by Josée Lajoie, Tariq Tapa.
The other crew included: Sound editor, Ben Huff, cast, Muhammad Emran Tapa (Dilawar), Ali Muhammad Dar (Uncle Ali), Taniya Khan (Bani Sheikh), Kashmir.
The film will have a 2-week engagement, February 16-March 1, at Film Forum, West Houston Street (W. of 6th Aveenue) with screenings daily at 1:15, 3:15, 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.
In 2008, Tariq was named one of “25 New Faces of Independent Film” by Filmmaker Magazine.