Director: Pankaj Rishi Kumar
Country: India
Language: Tamil |English
Year: 2026
Run Time: 80 mins
A Reflection on Fractured Identities and Unhealed Colonial Wounds
In the crumbling neighbourhood of Ville Noir (in Pondicherry, a former French colony), where French street names fade into dust and memories of empire linger like ghosts, seventy-year-old Monsieur Mounissamy lives as a relic of a world that no longer exists. Each July 14th, (French National Day) he unfurls a flag mirroring the French tricolour, and sings in trembling, imperfect French—an anthem to a “Mother France” he believes could still reclaim him. His quiet rebellion looms like a haunting reflection on fractured identities and unhealed colonial wounds.
Director:
Pankaj graduated from FTII Pune (1992). His first film was Kumar Talkies (1998). This was followed by Pather Chujaeri, The Vote, 3 Men and a Bulb, Punches n Ponytails, Seeds of Dissent, In God’s Land. Since 2012 he has been actively documenting in Pondicherry, a former French colony. Two Flags (2019), Janani's Juliet (India's official entry to Oscars) and To Die a Frenchman are 3 films based out of Pondicherry. His films have been screened at Berlin, Rotterdam Yamagata, Busan, Visions Du Reel and Margaret Mead. Pankaj was awarded an Asia Society fellowship at Harvard Asia Centre (2003). He is an alumnus of Asian Film Academy (Busan) and Berlin Talents. Pankaj also curates and teaches.
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