Film: Pather Panchali (98/250)
First Time/Rewatch: First Time
I had long heard good things about the Apu Trilogy, Pather Panchali being the first of the three. When Criterion announced they were releasing the trilogy last fall, we snatched it up and were eager to finally watch these films. This was not my first Satyajit Ray. I was introduced to his work by the film The Music Room, also on Sight & Sound's top 250, which I enjoyed immensely. I went into this one with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Growing up in Southern CA can give you a very narrow view of the world, which is why it is so important to me to see the films of other countries and other time periods. This felt like a documentary at times, like these characters were a real family (in the case of the actress playing young Durga and her mother, they were really family). The camera tenderly records the daily rituals of this family, their home, their amusements and frustrations. And while this is known as the Apu trilogy, this film is about the women in young Apu's life. The story of anyone's life begins with the people who shape them into the person they will become. It's an incredibly moving film, with music by the legendary Ravi Shankar as the icing on the cake. Definitely looking forward to the rest in the trilogy.
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