Father Joseph Pulinthanath

Born in 1956 at Pondicherry, Father Joseph Pulinthanath is a National award winning filmmaker who is just two films old namely MATHIA(2004) & YARWNG(2009). He studied mass communications in Mumbai during his pre priest days. Father J Pulinthanath is a full-time priest in the Don Bosco Mission in Agartala, Tripura and runs a studio where they produce regional gospel songs and translate gospel books in the regional languages. He has been posted in Tripura ever since 1987 and he identifies himself as a Priest and not a filmmaker. Although he is originally from Pondicherry, having been in Tripura for more than 30 years, he feels deeply for the Tripuri peoples.

CAREER:
1. Director:
MATHIYA (2004):
Father Joseph Pulinthanath’s first film MATHIYA was released in 2004. This film is about the practice of witchcraft and the lives it effects. It revolves around a village trying to hunt the witch while ruining and risking many lives. With this movie, Father Joseph tried to drive the attention towards this ill practice of witch hunting which was very relevant in Tripura at those time. He incorporated a fictional love story between a man and the suspect of a witch to draw more attention towards the film and carefully sneaked the social issue inside it. The film was distributed in cassettes and it was a massive hit in Tripura.

YARWNG – THE ROOTS:
Father Joseph’s second and latest film which also bagged the NATIONAL FILM AWARDS in 2010 is about the displacement of the Bru Tribe from their own lands due to the Dam built near their villages. It is a heart-breaking yet real film with real emotions because the filmmaker casted the real victims of the calamity in the film. Similar to his previous film, Father Joseph made a couple who were in love, divided because of the calamity as the protagonist of the film to attract more attention towards the film. Father Joseph always tried to address social issues through his films and he successfully does so. He garnered attention after receiving the award and because of his film, the government of Tripura provided some aid to the victims as well.

Book Publisher | Writer:
Father Joseph pulinthanath works for the media and publishing wing in the Don Bosco Institute. He is the head of the Peace Studio in Agartala where they produce regional gospel songs and gospel books for the locals. He has translated more than 50+ christian books into Kokborok (native language of Tripura).

IDEOLOGY: Father Joseph Pulinthanath repeatedly says that he is not identified as a filmmaker but a priest who has a passion in filmmaking and he always tries to make films which can bring about positive change in the society. He also revealed that he has no pressure of making another film just because his previous film won a National award. Father Joseph always tries to show real and raw emotions in his films, the soundtrack are made by the locals, the costumes are the real clothes worn by real peoples and the actors are mostly the real victims of society.

Filmography

SL No	Films	Role
1	Mathia - 2004	Director
2	Yarwng - 2009	Director

ACHIEVEMENTS:
1. Won a national film award

2. Yarwng was the inaugural film of the Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India held in Goa in 2004.

3. Yarwng was also screened in Paris on December 8th, 2011 at the Maison des Cultures du Monde under the patronage of Program
Sorosoro of the Chirac Foundation.