Ivan Ayr opens up on his film Meel Patthar heading to the 2020 Venice Film Festival

Director Ivan Ayr says he has tried to explore the uncertainties posed by the future and how one deals with it in his film Meel Patthar (Milestone), which is set to be screened at the Venice Film Festival. The film, about a truck driver who after losing his wife, tries to connect with his past and comes to terms with his present, was recently chosen for the Horizons category of the 2020 edition of the prestigious festival. Ayr (non de plume) said that there is a “clear and a deeper meaning” to the film. “It tells you where you are and how much further you have to go. There is a feeling of uncertainty, the protagonist is uncertain where he is going but he knows where he is. “Like how we say there is a significant moment or milestone one has crossed, that is there in the film. He gets to a certain milestone which he is unaware of and certain things begin to happen which makes things uncertain,” Ayr told Press Trust of India in an interview. The director’s first movie _Soni_ , which followed two policewomen dealing with the rising crimes against women in Delhi, had also premiered in the Horizons category of the festival in 2018. [caption id=“attachment_8680251” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Director Ivan Ayr (C) and actor Saloni Batra attend “Soni” photocall during the 75th Venice Film Festival at Sala Casino on September 6, 2018 in Venice, Italy. | (Sept. 5, 2018 - Source: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Europe)[/caption] The filmmaker said he is fascinated by stories of individuals struggling to survive in new and modern India. “I’m interested in telling stories about human existence in contemporary India. I feel all art forms, in one way or another, question how art plays in society, how society uses us and how we live. “This is at a very fundamental level, the truth of life. You are always trying to think about how your present life is impacted by what decisions you have made in the past. Whether you are optimistic or pessimistic about the future, these are fundamental things about life and every individual experience it at some point in life.” Ayr said as a storyteller, he has to weave a story around the basic idea of the film and sometimes that is inspired by one’s personal experiences. “The film is partly in Punjabi and is very close to our community (Punjabi). It is the story of a Punjabi truck driver working in the New Delhi region, so the experiences are about a Punjabi in a metropolitan city.” Though the film is going to a prestigious festival like Venice and hopefully to other film festivals as well, Ayr said the sad truth that it won’t be enough for distributors in India. “They are very big platforms and so when they announce to the world that these are the films that we have curated, it helps (in getting attention). However, the Indian distribution system is not quite attentive to this sort of praise being showered internationally nor does it seem quite interested in it. “The distribution system in India is still not conducive to films like this one because they have preconceived notions that these films are not going to make money or appeal to the audience.” With Milestone, the director said the aim is to do a “good festival run” before the film’s India premiere. “Venice is where it will have its world premiere, there are few more lined up but I have to keep it confidential. I’m not sure if Indian festival will take place due to COVID-19. If things get better over the next three to four months, then we will be trying to get India premiere as soon as possible.”