Synopsis
City of Photos explores the little known ethos of neighborhood photo studios in Indian cities, discovering entire imaginary worlds in the smallest of spaces. Tiny, shabby studios that appear to be stuck in a time warp turn out to be places throbbing with energy. As full of surprises as the people who frequent these studios are the backdrops they enjoy posing against and the props they choose. These afford fascinating glimpses into individual fantasies and popular tastes. Yet beneath the fun and games runs an undercurrent of foreboding. Not everyone enjoys being photographed; not every backdrop is beautiful; not all photos are taken on happy occasions. The cities in which these stories unfold themselves become backdrops, their gritty urban reality a counterpoint to the photo palaces. Desires, memories and stories, all so deeply linked to the photographic experience, come together as part of a personal journey into the city of photos.
The photographer won a special jury commendation at Film South Asia, Kathmandu, 2005. She was also voted no. 7 and shown in the IDFA top 20 in 2007, in a section comprising audience favourites from over 900 films screened at IDFA in its 20-year history.
Nishtha Jain is a graduate from Jamia Mass Communication Centre in New Delhi. She started her career as an editor and correspondent for video newsmagazines, before joining the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), specializing in film direction. She works as an indepedent filmmaker in Bombay.
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