Says Lalon: The shape of religion eludes my vision.
Circumcision tells a Muslim from others,
But what is the mark of his woman?
The Brahman is known by his thread,
How do I tell who is a Brahmani?
I am excited to invite you to a private screening of the 2010 Golden Peacock Award winning Bengali Film, Gautam Ghose’s Moner Manush (with English Subtitle), followed by a Q&A session with the Director afterward. The film won the prestigious Golden Peacock at the Goa IFFI 2010 for its stunning cinematic beauty and compassionate portrayal of love in a world of hate. Gautam Ghose also wrote the screenplay, music and worked the choreography.
As you know, Lalon Phokir is considered to be one of the key icons of Bengali spiritual quest, who went beyond sects, castes, and re-defined the Bengali psyche in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (he lived long). Tagore had heavily borrowed from his work and acknowledged his contribution to his music in several writings. A lot of Bengali Folk Music that we hear today are either Lalon Phokir’s direct writing, or derived from the same philosophy by Bauls and Phokir who came later.
Moner Manush is the first Indo-Bangladesh joint film venture (producer, cast and crew) that was released simultaneously in India and Bangladesh after 58 years! The film explores the spiritual quest of Lalon Phokir through his physical journey through time and space to find his inner self that reaches far beyond a search for the Almighty to reach within one’s inner Self, into that inner eternity the Baul is never sure about. The search is infinite. So is his journey to search the elusive. With every line he sings, he opens a new window into the meaning of life, death, love, desire, God, religion, faith, for his listeners.
To view the trailer of Moner Manush:
http://www.monermanush.net/trailer.html
To view more information regarding this film, please visit : www.monermanush.net
Venue: Naz8 Cinema. Artesia.
Venue Address: 6440 E. South Street. Lakewood, CA 90713.
(562) 866-2444
Date : 24th April, Sunday
Time : 12:30 pm
Q&A Session with Gautam Ghose : 3:30-4:30pm
Ticket: $10, will be sold in front of hall
No RSVP is necessary. Please try to reach at least half an hour before the show starts to buy tickets, no checks, cash only.
Hope to see you on Sunday, 24th April!
Mithu/Monalisa 
(Thanks to Robin Khundkar)