IFFLA: Pan Nalin's VALLEY OF FLOWERS wins Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature

FOR TRAILERS, CLIPS, & STILLS, SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) announced in a recent press release that Pan Nalin's Valley of Flowers won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature at this year's festival. The 155-minute movie had its U.S. première at the festival on April 21st. (Note: The screening was rescheduled from April 18th, due to a projector malfunction.) It had its world première at the Osian's-Cinefan 8th Festival of Asian Cinema in New Delhi, India on July 15th of last year. A 120-minute version of it was released theatrically in France on January 24th by Diaphana Distribution S.A., and theatrically in Russia on March 8th by RUSCICO; that version is scheduled to be released theatrically in Germany on May 31st by Pandora Film GmbH & Co. Verleih KG.

The screenplay for Valley of Flowers was written by Nalin (né Nalin Kumar Pandya) "with the dedicated participation of" Sarah Shennib, and was "inspired" by Alexandra David-Néel's real-life novel Magie d'amour et magie noire - scènes du Tibet inconnu. The movie apparently stars Milind Soman as Jalan, Mylène Jampanoï as Ushna, Naseeruddin Shah as Yeti, Jampa Kalsang Tamang as Jampa-la, Anil Yadav as Hak-Chi, Migmar Tashi as Na-Hus, Tashi Thondup as Tashi, Nawang Tharchin as Jalan gang member #1, Urgyan Tsering as Jalan gang member #2, Skalsang as Jalan gang member #3, Phuntsok Namgyal as Jalan gang member #4, Tsega as Jalan gang member #5, Amchok Jigmet as Jalan gang member #6, Tseten Dorje as Jalan gang member #7, Tsering Dorjee Bawa as Jalan gang member #8, Panchamgiri Bapu as Atman, Gopi Giri as Aghori, Jamayang Chodhak as Onpo, Amrit Pal as Yeti gang member #1, Joginder Singh as Yeti gang member #2, Narender Singh as Yeti gang member #3, Eri as Sayuri, Shinmei Tsuji as Sakamoto, Shûji Ôtsuki as Toshirô Okada, Mitsuyo Ishigaki as Chiharu Okada, Reina Hara as Yuki, Shunsuke Suganuma as Hiroshi, Hiroshi Honjômaru as policeman #1, and Kôji Satô as policeman #2.

Here's a description of Valley of Flowers from the website of international sales agent TF1 International S.A.: "Valley of Flowers is a Himalayan legend of a love struggling against the inevitability of death, an astonishing tale spanning from the early 19th century mountain existence, to hectic, bustling modern day Tokyo.

Once upon a time in the east...

Along the highest mountain passes of the Himalayas, tough, intrepid Jalan and his gang earn their living by stealing from unsuspecting travelers. Abiding by their own, unique codes of honour and dividing the spoils equally, all is routine until the arrival of the mystifying, beautiful Ushna. Appearing mysteriously after the raid of a pilgrim caravan, Ushna adheres to Jalan, claiming to have seen him in her dreams, and refusing to leave his side. Sensing the unsettlement of the rest of the men, Ushna offers to help them in their endeavours, under condition that they not ask why or how she is able to guide them to success.

In the time that follows, Ushna leads the gang to tremendous exploits, gaining the respect of the men, and the admiration of Jalan, who begins to fall passionately in love with this mysterious woman. As their success increases, seemingly unstoppable, so the love between Jalan and Ushna mounts in intensity, until they seem to have entered a world of their own. No longer heeding of the world around them, Jalan and Ushna venture too far in their exploits, progressing from the theft of material objects to tampering with elements that should never be tampered with; stealing energy, luck and even the powers of levitation, the two cross over into the bounds of the supernatural, until fate puts an abrupt end to their rapturous adventure.

Word of the duo and their strange exploits reaches the shrewd, robust general Yeti, who takes after them with his gang of experienced bounty hunters. In the confusion of pursuit, Jalan and Ushna face a temporary separation, the shock of which drives each to desperation. Having lost luck, wealth and friends, the fated two are nevertheless fortuitously reunited. Their passion running higher than ever, they vow never to be separated again, even if this entails deceiving fate and cheating mortality. But life always reserves surprises...."

For more information on Valley of Flowers, see ScreenAnarchy's eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second, and first articles on it.

Valley of Flowers trailer #1 (Hindi w/ English subtitles; downloadable 4.6 MB WMV file - viewer discretion is advised)

Valley of Flowers trailer #2 (Russian voice-over w/ English captions; downloadable 15.6 MB AVI file - viewer discretion is advised)

Valley of Flowers clip #1 (Hindi w/ French subtitles; downloadable 5.5 MB MOV file)

Valley of Flowers clip #2 (no dialogue; downloadable 2.9 MB MOV file)

Valley of Flowers clip #3 (Hindi w/ French subtitles; downloadable 3.9 MB MOV file)

Valley of Flowers clip #4 (Japanese w/ French subtitles; downloadable 4.2 MB MOV file)

Valley of Flowers clip #5 page (clip is dubbed in Russian w/o subtitles)

Valley of Flowers clip #6 page (clip is dubbed in Russian w/o subtitles)

Valley of Flowers clip #7 page (clip is dubbed in Russian w/o subtitles)

Valley of Flowers clip #8 page (clip is dubbed in Russian w/o subtitles)

Valley of Flowers score selection #1 (downloadable 784 KB Shockwave Flash file)

Valley of Flowers score selection #2 (downloadable 628 KB Shockwave Flash file)

Valley of Flowers international official website (w/ stills, etc.)

Valley of Flowers Russian official website (w/ trailer, clips, stills, etc.)

GOMORRAHY.com: Valley of Flowers (w/ trailer, clips, stills, etc.)