With the release in 1955 of Satyajit Ray’s debut, Pather Panchali, an eloquent and important new cinematic voice made itself heard all over the world. A depiction of rural Bengali life in a style inspired by Italian neorealism, this naturalistic but poetic evocation of a number of years in the life of a family introduces us to both little Apu and, just as essentially, the women who will help shape him: his independent older sister, Durga; his harried mother, Sarbajaya, who, with her husband away, must hold the family together; and his kindly and mischievous elderly “auntie,” Indir—vivid, multifaceted characters all. With resplendent photography informed by its young protagonist’s perpetual sense of discovery, Pather Panchali, which won an award for Best Human Document at the Cannes Film Festival, is an immersive cinematic experience and a film of elemental power.
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Supplements
- Audio recording from 1958 of director Satyajit Ray reading his essay “A Long Time on the Little Road”
- New interviews with actors Soumitra Chatterjee and Shampa Srivastava and camera assistant Soumendu Roy
- Excerpts from the 2003 documentary The Song of the Little Road, featuring The Apu Trilogy composer Ravi Shankar
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Restoration Information
Release Notes on Restoration
The original monaural soundtracks were remastered from the following elements: for Pather Panchali, a 35 mm safety magnetic track from the Academy Film Archive; for Aparajito, a 35 mm print from the Venice Film Festival and a 35 mm fine-grain from the Academy Film Archive; and for Apur Sansar, two 35 mm prints and a 35 mm magnetic track from the BFI National Archive.