Between Bengal and the Rest of the World: The Work of Satyajit Ray

It is no exaggeration to say that with his directorial debut Song of the Road, completed in 1955, Satyajit Ray reinvented Indian cinema for the Western world. Or at least, one of its aspects. How did this film mark itself out against the standards of contemporary Indian production? Why did it attract both local and international audiences? When did the director decide to follow up on his debut with two more sequels and what other films did he make during his career? The first part of the lecture will be dedicated to the beginnings of Ray’s filmmaking career and various perspectives from which he was and still is perceived. The second part will focus on the unique poetics of this filmmaker and the symbols used in The Apu Trilogy.