New Delhi – Indian filmmaker Praveen Morchhale’s latest feature, “White Snow,” arrives amid a backdrop of increasing scrutiny over film censorship in Kashmir and a growing international recognition of his distinct cinematic voice. Morchhale, known for his contemplative and visually poetic narratives focusing on marginalized communities and social injustice, positions “White Snow” as a culmination of his artistic evolution.
Morchhale’s previous works, “Widow of Silence” (2018) and “Walking With The Wind“ (2017), garnered critical acclaim at prestigious festivals including Rotterdam, Busan, Sao Paulo, and Hamburg. ”Widow of Silence” received a Jury Award at Belgium’s Mooov Film Festival, while “Walking With The Wind” earned both the ICFTT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal and National Film Awards recognition in India. His 2018 Busan International Film Festival selection, “Walking With The Wind,” was nominated for the Kim Ji-seok Award. Most recently, his 2023 film, “Behind Veils,” won the INALCO Jury Award at France’s Vesoul Asian Film Festival.
“‘White Snow’ is the continuation and perhaps the further refinement of everything I have been working toward,” Morchhale stated, describing the film as a move towards greater minimalism. “In my earlier films, I was still trying how to listen to silence, how to believe in stillness. With ‘White Snow,’ I felt I am ready to strip away even more, further getting closer to minimalism.” He further articulated his vision for the film, aiming for a quality akin to a haiku: “I wanted the film to feel like a haiku where words are short but infinite in resonance and meaning. I want to leave the audience to resonate with images and meaning without guiding them.” He considers ”White Snow” his most personal and simultaneously universal work.
Morchhale emphasizes the importance of artistic integrity in his filmmaking process. “I make films that are fearlessly self-reliant and honest,” he said. “I protect my integrity by resisting the pressure to entertain at the cost of honesty.Integrity, to me, means telling the truthful story that I strongly believe in.” He acknowledges the commercial challenges inherent in this approach, stating, “I do not follow trends, markets, or provocations…if my work touches a few persons deeply, it is enough.”
“White Snow” is an international co-production, reflecting a trend of increased cross-border collaboration within independent Asian cinema, particularly for projects addressing sensitive political and cultural subjects. The film’s crew includes Nalin Vinayak (music), Ravi Sataliya (costume design), Akhilesh Dogne (production design), Hossein Mashali and Omid Mohammadipour (sound design).
