As soon as I finished watching Pan Nalin’s Last Film Show, I thought about watching Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso to compare. Nalin’s film, about a nine-year-old Indian boy who becomes enthralled with film and befriends a theatre’s projectionist, recalls the synopsis of the 1988 Italian classic instantly. But then I thought to myself, what was there to be gained from this experience (besides a night spent with another fantastic film)? Last Film Show, like Cinema Paradiso is a lyrical, exuberant adage to film, filmmaking, and the film-going experience. Neither exists to critique what has been “done before” in film; they exist to celebrate film. The stories they tell could be told time and time again, in different countries—or, even in the same countries—and you can bet this filmgoer will still buy tickets.

In case it was not obvious, I am completely enamoured with Nalin’s Last Film Show. Granted, as a film reviewer and film obsessive, I am always looking for works that will help me rekindle my passion for the medium. But Nalin’s film truly is one from which love unquestionably flows. It is an all-inclusive love, too —one that can be accessed by anyone who has ever felt a giddy excitement rush up their spines when the lights of a theatre have dimmed.

The theatre at the centre of Last Film Show is the fictional Galaxy Theatre, located in a downtown district of real world Saurashtra region, India. It is at this theatre that young Samay (Bhavin Rabari) has his first experience with projected light, surround sound, and moving pictures, all of which combine for the child like the contents of a magician’s bag of tricks to awe-inspiring effect. But because of his limited means at home, compounded by his father disdain for cinema outside of films that honour his family’s religion, Samay must satisfy his film education on his own, and so he gathers a troupe of friends to deconstruct the mechanics of projection using what they can find. Some of Samay’s formal training and film appreciation comes from the Galaxy’s projectionist, Fazal (Bhavesh Shrimali), who gives him peeks at the Galaxy’s operations and screenings in exchange for his mother’s mouth-watering lunches.

Sumptuously photographed scenes throughout the film capture Samay’s mother preparing these meals. Nalin seems to suggest that both the culinary and the cinematic arts run deep in Indian culture, and that they both help foster kindred flames of passion. It is with the same care Samay’s mother puts into her food preparation that Nalin spiritedly “re”-discovers the “essence” of cinema. In one early scene, we follow Samay and his friends who, in trying to recreate projection capabilities of their own, attempt to “catch” the light by raising their hands to sunbeams. The scene feels like childhood distilled: the zealous curiosity, the camaraderie, the unburdened thrill of running outdoors and just trying something. In this and many other scenes, I could not help but be reminded of Terrence Malick’s kaleidoscopic depictions of childhood in The Tree of Life.   

Much of the allure to these scenes should be attributed to cinematographer Swapnil S. Sonawane, whose work keeps the world of Last Film Show looking vibrant and warm, but also lush, imbued with brilliant hues of green and blue. The cinematographer, who previously worked with Nalin on his film Angry Indian Goddesses, has a keen eye for a child’s perspective, and his willingness to explore possibilities with his camera is as evident as the children’s willingness to try their DIY experiments. Praises must be extended to the child actors as well, who are an endlessly watchable gang of precocious youngsters, teaming with personality. We don’t get the chance to learn about all of these characters, but Last Film Show is a story about Samay, and Rabari is a more than capable and compelling lead.

Through Samay’s story—his toying with coloured lenses and his fashioning of a sewing machine-powered shutter for his projector—our interest and appreciation for projection and the filmmaking process is renewed. It is a story heavy on sentimentality and winking reflexivity, sure, but a story that is also so sincere and so genuine that its charm will work its way into the corners of your mouth and stay there. Though at times inflected with a touch of saudade for the analog methods lost to time, it is ultimately affirming, abundantly joyous, and revelatory.

As I write this now, my city’s movie theatres are officially open again after having shuttered their doors for over seven months during a second wave of COVID-19 cases. As it would happen, one of local theatres has decided to screen Cinema Paradiso to mark its triumphant return. I cannot think of a better spiritual successor to the film than Last Film Show to one day be that celebration for someone else.  

CAST & CREDITS

Directed by Pan Nalin

Pan Nalin is an international filmmaker best known for directing award-winning films such as Samsara, Valley of Flowers, and Ayurveda: Art of Being. His debut film, Samsara, won awards at AFI Fest and Melbourne International Film Festival.

CINEMATOGRAPHER

Swapnil S. Sonawane

EDITOR

Shreyas Beltangdy, Pavan Bhat

CAST

Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, Rahul Koli

DIRECTOR

Pan Nalin

PRODUCER

Dheer Momaya

SCREENWRITER

Pan Nalin