Their Films, Our Films: Black Narcissus

A series of screenings & discussions contrasting films about India/South Asia by Western directors with films by South Asians ourselves.
About this Event

Filmed and released on the eve of Indian and Pakistani independence, Black Narcissus is globally lauded as a stunning cinematic project. It won the Oscars for 'Best Color Cinematography' and 'Best Color Art Direction' the year it was released. It also upholds the Western tradition of using Indian landscapes and bodies as mere storytelling props. The Indians are the background for a "larger" story focusing on Westerners dealing with the "harsh" and "inhospitable" landscape. The film features brown face and, unsurprisingly, just one Indian actor.

The film continues to be lauded for its epic colors, landscapes (all hand painted and not actually shot anywhere near the Himalayas), and story, but critics constantly ignore the racism, orientalism, and the ever prevalent stench of Empire while discussing this film.

This screening is part of a larger series of screenings and discussions attempting to pair Western films about South Asia with South Asian films dealing with similar themes or spaces. Black Narcissus will be paired with the Indian film A Death in the Gunj screening on 7/27(tickets available here). This series is a chance to go beyond the binaries of Bollywood and racist Indian caricatures to understand what it truly means to make Indian cinema.

Join us for a rare screening and discussion of Black Narcissus, led by Anjali Krishnakumar, an Indian writer, chef, and film critic.

The ticket price includes admission to the film screening and the cover for Ornithology jazz club. Drinks are available for purchase at the bar downstairs and food is available at the cafe next door.

7:30 pm - Doors open

8:00 pm - Host introduction + Screening

10:00 pm - Film discussion

About the film:

Black Narcissus (1947) (100 mins)

A group of Anglican nuns, led by Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), are sent to a mountain in the Himalayas. The climate in the region is hostile, and the nuns are housed in an odd old palace. They work to establish a school and a hospital, but slowly their focus shifts. Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) falls for a government worker, Mr. Dean (David Farrar), and begins to question her vow of celibacy. As Sister Ruth obsesses over Mr. Dean, Sister Clodagh becomes immersed in her own memories of love.