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    [EFF18S3] Session 3: Contextualising The Films Of Mani Kaul

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF18S3] Session 3: Contextualising The Films Of Mani Kaul. Birkbeck College, University of London.

    Description

    23 March 2018, 13:00, Birkbeck Cinema

    This study day explored the work of Mani Kaul (1944-2011), by combining papers, discussion and a screening of Siddheshwari (Mani Kaul, 1989). Marking the beginning of our programme of Mani Kaul films at the ICA, this event sought to contextualise the filmmaker’s work, and to mark the connections between the experimental aesthetics used by Kaul and similar practices taking place within Indian cinema at the time. As an essay filmmaker, Mani Kaul engages with a broad range of subjects including the art, classical music, literature and theatre of India, and we will use this symposium as a space to reflect on the diversity and interdisciplinary nature of his films.

    Film: Siddheshwari, Mani Kaul, India, 1989, digital, 92 minutes, Hindi with English subtitles

    Siddheshwari is a film about the renowned Hindustani singer Siddheshwari Devi (1903-1977). Blurring fiction and documentary, Kaul’s film showcases his passion for Indian classical music.

    Presentations:

    Mani Kaul and his influence on Indian documentary cinema and beyond
    Giulia Battaglia, researcher in anthropology of visual/art/media practices University of Paris 3 – Sorbonne Nouvelle, specialised in documentary film in India.

    1980s India and the weight of myth in Mani Kaul’s cinema
    Valentina Vitali, Professor of Film Studies at the University of East London and director of the Moving Image Research Centre.

    Guilia Battaglia and Valentina Vitali were joined in conversation by Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun, of The Otolith Group.

    In collaboration with the Courtisane Festival and The Otolith Group, and with the support of Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities.

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    Collection Method

    The Essay Film Festival, active since 2015, presents a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.

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    Metadata

    Dataset Title:

    [EFF18S3] Session 3: Contextualising The Films Of Mani Kaul
    Creators:

    Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew
    Dataset Contributors:

    ContributionNameEmailORCID
    CollaboratorMcCabe, Janetj.mccabe@bbk.ac.ukORCID logohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2916-9876
    CollaboratorYapp, Emmaeyapp01@student.bbk.ac.ukORCID logohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2646-6066
    Subjects:

    Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
    Data collection method:

    The Essay Film Festival, active since 2015, presents a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.
    Collection period:

    FromTo
    23 March 201823 March 2018
    Statement on legal, ethical, and access issues:

    All film stills were provided by participating artists.
    Depositing User: Emma Yapp
    Date Deposited: 25 Aug 2026 12:17
    Last Modified: 25 Aug 2026 12:17
    Publisher: Birkbeck College, University of London

    Export / Share Citation

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF18S3] Session 3: Contextualising The Films Of Mani Kaul. Birkbeck College, University of London.

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