Reel Talk Wednesdays
Coral Woman is a story of the filmmaker’s journey with Uma, a certified scuba diver, exploring the underwater world and the threat to coral reefs of the Gulf of Mannar. Born in a traditional family, inspired by the beauty of corals, Uma learnt how to swim, dive, and paint in her 50s, and has since been trying to bring attention to this alarming environmental crisis through paintings.
The film is a 53- minute documentary and was screened at the Aravali Auditorium, Kalyan Kendra, on March 19.
The film reveals a poignant truth: the presence of coral fragments in the ruins of colonial-era buildings serves as a haunting testament to the century’s-long exploitation of this precious natural resource. Though the Indian government banned coral mining in 2005, the draining of sewage water and industrial waste into the sea, global warming, and pollution have adversely affected the corals and the entire ecosystem of the seashore towns in the coastal region.
The film was followed by a lively discussion with the cinematographer of the film, Nitasha Kapahi – a graduate of FTII (Pune). Nitasha has an abiding passion for underwater cinematography. She shared behind-the-scenes glimpses, sharing her personal experiences and insights from the making of the film.
Picturization, cinematography, and sound recording are superb. The concerns of the protagonist, Uma, have been beautifully captured, bringing depth to the narrative.
