The 24-minute film tells the story of Asha, a young climate refugee from Bengal who searches for her father.
Nine years ago, Soumik Dutta turned down Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s invitation to tour with him. The reason for this is self-evident. He says he was not ready for it. But Soumik’s choice of projects informs us that popularity is not something he eagerly strives for. Right from his early days, he shied away from conventions.
Growing up in London as a teenager, Soumik played the sarod. His band, Circle of Sound, which he formed with an Austrian friend, was a mix of drums and sarod. Conversation and bass, thrust and hip-hop. He collaborated with folk rhythm artist Cormac Byrne to recreate Satyajit Ray’s 1969 film Goopy Gayne becomes BaghaA blend of contemporary orchestra with Indian, classical and folk sounds. In 2019, for the BBC series, India’s RhythmHe traveled all over India to explore its diverse culture and history through music. This April and May, he performed in front of empty seats at Britain’s prestigious cultural centers such as the British Museum and the Royal Albert Hall, along with a 40-member team of musicians and dancers. The idea was to break the silence with new music in these places closed during the pandemic.
For them, art is not just entertainment. He believes it is “a vehicle for carrying messages.” His recent works carry a message about our relationship with the environment. His latest EP Forest, was his response to the ecological crisis already facing the world. Soumik’s latest work, songs of earthAn animated musical short film, emphasizes this issue.
The film premiered on 2 November at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. There could not have been a better place and time than this, says Soumik. Opportunity is no coincidence.
Soumik made songs of earth After winning the British Council Climate Change Creative Commission in February to develop a film and music project with Earth Day Network. Soumik wrote, scored and directed the film. Animation was done by Indian painters Sachin Bhatt and Anjali Kamat.
The 24-minute film tells the story of Asha, a young climate refugee from Bengal, who searches for her father through the floodplains, burning forests and polar ice caps of the Sundarbans delta.
Soumik explains why he chose this story. “The thing with climate change is that it’s hard for people to understand what the numbers mean. We can’t relate to the dying of coral reefs, the burning of forests in Australia and South America, or the extinction of polar bears. But we deal with human stories and relationships. So at the center of the story, I wanted a relationship between a daughter and her father. It’s also a metaphor for our planet being our parents.
Climate change is an umbrella term that encompasses many challenges. It is not just about melting ice caps, but also about migration, extreme weather, ocean pollution, deforestation and sustainable fashion. Soumik’s understanding is reflected in the film. Climate change is not a fresh topic for them. grew up studying National Geographic And admire people like David Attenborough, who wrote him a letter recently.
The music of the film is unique. It is a mix of vocals, saxophone, drums, sarod, cello, and the sounds of leaves, wind, and waves. Like Soumik’s other projects, this one too has a fusion of different genres. At one point, it even seems verbose. Soumik agrees. “As an artist, I respond more when what I’m seeing and what I’m hearing don’t always fit[with each other]. That’s when you start questioning. If they fit, So it becomes the background, your brain embraces it, and you don’t really question it. With this project, we tried to create something that was visually appealing, soundly arresting at the same time. Doing and thought provoking.” The film’s music album is available on leading audio streaming platforms.
Despite addressing pressing topics such as deforestation and the migration crisis, Soumik says his work tries to spread hope.
So, what is the underlying message of hope? songs of earth?
Soumik answered more questions. “Can this perilous journey of a young girl from the Global South make the people of the Global North realize the consequences of her actions? Can they empathize with those who are different from them? Could it help to take some responsibility and reshape things?”
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