Wes Anderson Powers Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ Rescue for Cannes Classics

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The six-year restoration project led by filmmaker Wes Anderson has resulted in the classic film “Days and Nights in the Forest” (1970), directed by Satyajit Ray, being selected for screening at Cannes Classics.

2019 marked the commencement of a film preservation project, spearheaded by Anderson who, being on Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation board, started conversations about safeguarding Ray’s movie. The passion for Ray’s work held by “The Grand Budapest Hotel” director fueled this collective endeavor involving The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project, Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and The Criterion Collection. Funding was secured by the Golden Globe Foundation.

According to Anderson, anything signed by Satyajit Ray should be valued and kept safe; however, ‘Days and Nights in the Forest’, which is almost forgotten, stands out as a unique treasure. Produced in 1970, it’s contemporary yet reminiscent of novelistic storytelling. Ray delved into territories that might have been more familiar to Cassavetes. The narrative explores conflicts and dialogues between castes and genders, urban and rural societies, selfish men and their flaws, including cruelty and a remarkable lack of wisdom. Women in the film see through these men. Soumitra Chatterjee delivers a powerful performance as a lost character seeking answers. Sharmila Tagore is enigmatic, intelligent, and captivating. From the master’s hand, another masterpiece was born.

The restoration project encountered unprecedented hurdles because of the worldwide outbreak of the pandemic. In the midst of stringent lockdown restrictions, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, head of Film Heritage Foundation, braved a potentially hazardous trip from Mumbai to Kolkata in 2020 to inspect the state of the original camera and audio negatives stored by producer Purnima Dutta at her residence.

The process of restoring ‘Aranyer Din Ratri‘ has been an extraordinary, six-year long journey, taking me from Kolkata to Cannes,” Dungarpur explained to EbMaster. “During the pandemic in 2020, I made my way to Kolkata to assess the state of the original camera and sound negatives of the film, which were at Purnima Dutta’s home. With the producers’ approval, we organized transportation for these elements to be sent to L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna for scanning and restoration. Reminiscing on this experience, I am still in awe that it was possible given the strict restrictions that were in place at the time.

The technical restoration work was done using the original camera and sound negatives as our main resources. This task was carried out at the expert facility, L’Immagine Ritrovata, located in Bologna, Italy. Throughout this process, Dungarpur worked closely with the lab, prioritizing preserving the film’s genuine visual features.

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The technical restoration work involved using the original camera and sound negatives as our primary sources. We completed this at the specialized facility L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, collaborating closely with the lab throughout the entire process to ensure the film’s authentic visual qualities were preserved.

During the entire restoration phase, Dungarpur worked closely with the Dutta Family and Sandip Ray, who was Ray’s son. They were actively involved in progress screenings and final evaluations to make certain that the restored version remained true to the original artistic concept. Both the Dutta Family and Sandip Ray provided formal approval for all restoration work.

Dungarpur shared, “I collaborated extensively with Sandip Ray and the lab in Bologna throughout the entire restoration project, from transporting the original negatives right up to the final stage. It was awe-inspiring once more to witness the genius of Satyajit Ray as the film’s splendor unfolded. Our focus was to meticulously preserve the grain and blacks in order to replicate the work of our cinematographer, Soumendu Roy, as accurately as possible.

The digital restoration specialists at the lab tackled numerous problems found in the initial materials, such as dust, scratches, stains, unstable images, mold, and flickering. Restoring the sound proved tricky, as the original sound negative showed inconsistent quality across and within reels. Reels 9 to 12 posed the most audio-related difficulties, which were effectively mitigated through careful adjustments. In a specific part of Reel 2, a magnetic track saved by the BFI National Archive was utilized to replace problematic sections.

An essential aspect of the restoration involved crafting precise and authentic English subtitles. To accomplish this critical job, the team enlisted Indrani Mazumdar, a longtime associate of Ray and the individual he always relied on for English subtitling during his career. Notably, Mazumdar is also recognized for translating numerous Bengali literary works by Ray, thus providing her with an intimate understanding of Ray’s intentions, which she applied to this project.

Sandip Ray expressed his continued fondness for the film ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’, stating that the recent restoration work on it is nothing short of breathtaking. He collaborated closely with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur throughout the entire process, and was impressed by the detail-oriented approach taken during the restoration. Sandip Ray extends his deepest gratitude to Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Film Foundation’, Film Heritage Foundation, and The Criterion Collection for coming together to make this restoration a reality. He also thanks Wes Anderson, a known admirer of his father’s work, for his role in making this project possible.

Purnima Dutta, the producer who had safeguarded the original film negatives at her Kolkata home for many years, expressed her joy: “I am elated that Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece, ‘Aranyer Din Ratri,’ has been restored. As the film’s producer, this is a significant honor and joy for me. I extend my gratitude to The Film Foundation for restoring the film and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur of Film Heritage Foundation for his commitment and time spent in overseeing and coordinating the restoration process, ensuring that ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ is reborn.

Simultaneously with the careful restoration process, Janus Films successfully acquired the rights to screen the film in both the U.S. and U.K., following discussions with Purnima Dutta. This joint initiative between The Film Foundation (TFF) and long-term partner Fumiko Takagi of Janus Films/Criterion Collection – who had previously attempted licensing the title with Dutta in Kolkata back in 2013 – guarantees that audiences can view the restored film in its best available quality.

The timeless Bengali movie delves into the complexities of post-colonial city life in India as seen through four young characters, who momentarily evade their world by venturing into the forests of Jharkhand. This cinematic work boasts a talented group of actors such as Sharmila Tagore, Kaberi Bose, Simi Garewal, Soumitra Chatterjee, Shubhendu Chatterjee, Rabi Ghosh, Samit Bhanja, Pahari Sanyal, and Aparna Sen, among others.

Simi Garewal, who was a key figure in the movie, mused on the importance of the restoration: “Restoring ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ is an extraordinary blessing – not just for those of us involved in the film, but for world cinema. I can still recall the tranquil forest stillness, the pulsating rhythm of the set… Working with Satyajit Ray was like delving into the mind of a quiet genius – every word, every action mattered, and he had this extraordinary talent to bring out hidden depths in you. I’m thrilled that this masterpiece has been so carefully restored by Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation, Film Heritage Foundation, and the Criterion Collection for future audiences to appreciate.

Actress Sharmila Tagore reminisced about her time on the set of ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’: “I recall being on set for ‘Aradhana’ when Manik Da (Satyajit Ray) asked me to join him for a month-long shoot. It was swelteringly hot during filming, and we could only work in the mornings and late afternoons. I have fond memories of my fellow actors and Manik Da’s meticulous approach, particularly when he directed the memory game sequence. ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ is a film that feels so modern it will undoubtedly strike a chord with viewers worldwide even today.

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2025-05-19 13:47