CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME Rahat Saeed Khan
Yusufi
ADDRESS ‘Ashramshala’.
Panhale. Lanja,
Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. 416 701.
NATIONALITY Indian
CELL-PHONE 9960305867
E-MAIL
rahat.yusufi@gmail.com
BIRTH November 18,
1946, Lucknow, UP, India
CRAFT Film Making
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
B.Sc. University of Allahabad
M.A Aligarh Muslim University
DC (D) Film Institute, Pune
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
I have been an independent film maker since 1987, making films and
videos under the banner of Saramedia Consultants, Bangalore. I have
made approximately fifty documentary and short features. Most of the
more recent work has been rooted in progressive sociological insight
which is in the process of constant renewal. These films have been
done on live locations with non-professionals chosen from the field.
They have been produced in several Indian languages in various parts
of this Country. Having lived worked and travelled extensively in
various socio-linguistic & eco-regions have left me with a sort
of a mercenary feeling. I am, therefore, staying as Artist in
residence here, in a remote village in a school for tribal &
nomadic children, who are first generation schooled. During the past
five years or so of my stay here, I have received in-depth
perceptions of community coherence and produced over fifteen films in
DV format, that I can show to people of Konkan as a mirror unto their
own ‘human condition’.
RESPONSIBILITIES
To research, write scripts and proposals, visualise and direct
shootings, supervise editing and other studio and laboratory based
work. Nowadays I shoot with a good DV camera and edit on PC at my
rooms, in Panhale. Generate, sift and validate fresh ideas. Solicit
support and funding for a specific kind of work and look after
productions in all aspects till completion; then distribute DV copies
and exhibit from place to place, in Konkan region, South Maharashtra.
ACHIEVEMENTS
My materials are being used by a number of Voluntary Groups in West
Bengal, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and more recently, in
Karnataka. I have participated in screening sessions and seen the
enjoyment with which my films have been received by communities
concerned. They have proved to be good catalyser of discussions and
/ or introspection. I have several National and International awards
for cinematic excellence to my credit, apart from the love and joy of
sharing my work with people among whom I make my films. I have been
actively involved in social, cultural, and ecological movements in
India and have successfully articulated their ideals, debates and
struggles in film form.
- I was appointed Professor and Head of Department of Film Direction and Screen writing at the film and TV institute at Pune from June 1982 until June 1987.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Teaching and working with students for a three
year specialisation course.
ACHIEVEMENTS: This course of studies was re-instituted at my
joining. I was able, therefore, to restructure and update the
curriculum with current knowledge to make it challenging and
meaningful to the next generation of film makers. I was able to make
teaching methodology participatory in nature. For the first time in
the history of Film and TV Institute, I was able to take out groups
of students to make demonstration films, thereby bridging classroom
theory and field experience in practice.
- In charge of media production at the Centre for Development of Instructional Technology (CENDIT) at New Delhi from March 1980 until June 1982.
RESPONSIBILITIES: CENDIT initiated the idea of using video for
community conscientization. I designed and implemented the program
in a cluster of ten villages in the adjoining state of UP.
ACHIEVEMENTS: I was able to make participatory, process oriented
video films with active support of the communities, show them and
include feed back into further work to create a link and a web of
communication in the project area. I was able also to de-mystify
media for illiterate / semi-literate men and women of the community
and receive tremendous response in our conscientization program.
- Director at the Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, from March 1975 until 1980.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Researching, scripting and directing films for the
user ministries, mainly Defence and Agriculture. I also attempted
social subjects while in employment with the Government.
ACHIEVEMENTS: I was able to travel quite extensively throughout the
remote and distant parts of India. Camping and spending plenty of
time in different geo-political and eco-regions while on official
tours. I was able to create a stylistic difference in the set
pattern of documentary / training film of the Films Division. This
was recognised in the form of several international awards in
specialised film festivals.
- Collaboration with Mani Kaul on his feature film, ‘Uski Roti’ as assistant director.
RESPONSIBILITIES: To assist the director in all aspects of
conceptualising and operationalizing the experiment we were trying
out. Scripting and dialogue writing, improvising during shooting and
other post shooting work.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Though I cannot claim any individual achievement in
this case, I am proud to say that the film was a pioneering
experiment at the inception of the New Wave in India and the team
involved was making history
MISCELLANEOUS
- I am a founder member of the trust, Gokul Prakalpa Pratishthan (GPP), an NGO working in Konkan area of Southern Maharashtra. I have done several films with the folk forms of this region and on the efforts of our trust in conservation of local land and human resources.
- I have been a member of the Governing Council of Film and Television Institute, Pune.
- I have awards for cinematic excellence from Toronto, Karlovi Veri and Caracow. I also have two National Awards in 1991 for best film on environment. My films have been screened in the prestigious ‘Spectrum India’ section of MIFF, The Mumbai International Short Films Festival and equally prestigious ‘Indian Panorama’, during the International Film Festival of India 1997 at New Delhi and at the Beirut International Film Festival 1997.
- I have actively participated and conducted development workshops concerning media intervention, visual articulation and community media. I have written and presented papers and delivered lectures often with demonstrations, on Film aesthetics and use of Cinema as medium of communication for the alternative sector. I have helped create a new paradigm for development activism through the use of video among young filmmakers in India.