The London Bengali Film Festival (LBFF) is an annual celebration of films from or about the Bengali Diaspora, which is also the largest Bengali film festival in the world, outside of Bengal. Along with many other diverse range of Bengali feature films including ‘Chhaad’, ‘Lokkhi Chhele’ and ‘The Holy Conspiracy’ three hand-picked short films were screened at the festival and one of them was Tanni Chaudhuri-directed ‘Chowkath Periye’ (After The Threshold). The short film was appreciated by one and all after the screening.
Starring Anangsha Biswas, Rishav Basu, Sankar Debnath, Satakshi Nandy, Palash Chaturvedi, Paramita Sen, Aparajita Yolmo and Riyaan Ghosh in key roles, ‘After The Threshold’ is a stark commentary on human narratives surrounding mental health. The story starts in the house of a well-established psychologist who is being interviewed on mental health issues in times of Covid. While the interviewer discusses the trends in India, in a different location in the same house, the psychologist’s associates are waiting for their turn for the interview. In lieu of the imminent interview prep, they talk about their short life histories.
Speaking about her experience at the London Bengali Film Festival director Tanni Chaudhuri said, “It is important to take a work like After the Threshold to different artistic avenues-London Bengali film festival being one of them. Speaking to individuals and understanding the reception of my work in a space and a place few know me, was extremely important. The strong bonding in the Indo Bangladeshi diaspora, the heart warming hospitality and welcome and the strong voices of women in the panel- is something I will cherish a long time”