We are pleased to present films by India's most revered filmmaker, Satyajit Ray (1921–1992), in restored archival prints from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Since his stunning 1955 debut, Pather Panchali, Ray has been internationally recognized as an artist of extraordinary versatility, depth, and grace. Taken together, his stories of individuals and families interacting with a changing culture form an impressive chronicle of Indian history. Individually, each is an exquisitely detailed and nuanced portrayal of the rhythms of Bengali life, from village to city. Ray's films gain universal appeal from their inexhaustible concern with the fundamental, if often ineffable, truths of human existence. This series offers a rare opportunity to see these films in a form that best expresses the subtle beauty of the director's style.
"Ray has invariably preferred the intimate story to the grand epic, and is the poet par excellence of the human–scale, life–sized comedy or tragedy of ordinary men and women, journeying, as we all journey, down little, but unforgettable roads."
-Salman Rushdie
Prints courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Thanks to Peggy Parsons, Tom Vick, and Dilip Basu for their assistance.The series is presented with support from The Packard Humanities Institute.
