Sikkim (film)
Encyclopedia
Sikkim is a 1971
India
n documentary
about the nation of Sikkim
, directed by Satyajit Ray
. The documentary was commissioned by the Chogyal
(King) of Sikkim at a time when he felt the sovereignty
of Sikkim was under threat from both China
and India
. Ray's documentary is about the sovereignty of Sikkim. The film was banned by the government of India, when Sikkim merged with India in 1975. In 2000, the copyright of the film was transferred to the Art and Culture Trust of Sikkim. The ban was finally lifted by the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) in September 2010. In November 2010 the director of the Kolkata film festival stated that upon filming the documentary for the first time, he received an injunction from the court of Sikkim again banning the film.
, dancers in Ellora, but eventually ended up making only one. Ray's cousin who lived in Darjeeling, had appeared in film, Kanchenjungha
(1962) also shot in Darjeeling, was acquainted with Chogyal
of Sikkim Palden Thondup Namgyal
and his American wife Hope Cooke
, the couple commissioned the film and his cousin convinced Ray to take on the project.
of The Statesman
wrote in his review, "Sandwiched between Pratidwandi, Seemabaddha and Asani Sanket, Sikkim is beautiful, more an essay from a respected travel journal from Ray’s era accompanied by detailed photographs that graced magazines like Life".
. When Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Society traced a print with the Chogyal’s family it was found to be damaged beyond repair, finally, a print that had made its way to London was traced and restored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
in 2003. A restored version was shown in 2008 during a "Ray Restrospective" at the Nantes Three Continents Film Festival in France.
After the government overturned the ban, the restored copy reached the Gangtok
-based Art and Culture Trust of Sikkim in September 2010, which has earlier received the prints and right for the film in 2000.
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the nation of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, directed by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
. The documentary was commissioned by the Chogyal
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
(King) of Sikkim at a time when he felt the sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of Sikkim was under threat from both China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Ray's documentary is about the sovereignty of Sikkim. The film was banned by the government of India, when Sikkim merged with India in 1975. In 2000, the copyright of the film was transferred to the Art and Culture Trust of Sikkim. The ban was finally lifted by the Ministry of External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs (India)
The Ministry of External Affairs is the foreign ministry of India. It is the Indian government agency responsible for the foreign relations of India. The Minister of External Affairs holds cabinet rank as a member of the Council of Ministers. The current minister is S M Krishna...
(MEA) in September 2010. In November 2010 the director of the Kolkata film festival stated that upon filming the documentary for the first time, he received an injunction from the court of Sikkim again banning the film.
Production
Satyajit had planned several documentaries about with people in their setting in focus, like musicians of RajasthanRajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, dancers in Ellora, but eventually ended up making only one. Ray's cousin who lived in Darjeeling, had appeared in film, Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha is a 1962 Bengali film by Bengali film director Satyajit Ray. It was Ray's first original screenplay and his first colour film....
(1962) also shot in Darjeeling, was acquainted with Chogyal
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
of Sikkim Palden Thondup Namgyal
Palden Thondup Namgyal
Palden Thondup Namgyal was the 12th and last Chogyal of Sikkim.At six, Namgyal became a student at St. Joseph's Convent in Kalimpong, but had to terminate his studies due to attacks of malaria...
and his American wife Hope Cooke
Hope Cooke
Hope Cooke is an American socialite who was the "Gyalmo" of the 12th Chogyal of Sikkim. But Palden was to be the last king of Sikkim as a protectorate state under India. By 1973, the country and their marriage was crumbling; soon Sikkim was annexed by India. Cooke returned to New York City...
, the couple commissioned the film and his cousin convinced Ray to take on the project.
Overview
No critics have seen the film, but Ray described it in the following way: "While they're reaching this point, I cut to a shot of a piece of telegraph wire. It's raining and there are two drops of rain approaching on a downward curve. It's a very poetic seven minutes. And the end is also very lively, very optimistic, with children, happy, laughing, smoking, singing. The whole thing builds up into a paean of praise for the place." The documentary was screened for public viewing for the first time in 39 years at the 16th Kolkata Film Festival. Mathures PaulMathures Paul
Mathures Paul is a journalist working with The Statesman newspaper in India. With articles spread over a wide range of subjects—films, music, information & technology, photography, dance and books—he is also the newspaper's film and music critic...
of The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
wrote in his review, "Sandwiched between Pratidwandi, Seemabaddha and Asani Sanket, Sikkim is beautiful, more an essay from a respected travel journal from Ray’s era accompanied by detailed photographs that graced magazines like Life".
Censorship
The film had to undergo double censorship from both the film's commissioners and the Indian government, when Sikkim became a state of India in 1975. The documentary was banned by the Indian government, and all known copies of the documentary destroyed.Revival
Except a screening for the Chugyal family, the film never got formally released. For many years, the film was considered to be lost and it was thought that the only surviving record of the film is a scene-by-scene written reconstruction of the film by the remaining film team members. However, in January 2003 it was reported that a good quality print has been kept by the British Film InstituteBritish Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
. When Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Society traced a print with the Chogyal’s family it was found to be damaged beyond repair, finally, a print that had made its way to London was traced and restored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
in 2003. A restored version was shown in 2008 during a "Ray Restrospective" at the Nantes Three Continents Film Festival in France.
After the government overturned the ban, the restored copy reached the Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
-based Art and Culture Trust of Sikkim in September 2010, which has earlier received the prints and right for the film in 2000.