In a first for Tamil cinema, Visaranai goes to Venice

Vetri Maaran���s upcoming film Visaranai has been selected for the 72nd Venice International Film Festival in the competitive Orizzonti (Horizons) category. Vetri Maaran, and the lead actor of the film, Attakathi Dinesh, will be heading to Venice in September (the festival is from September 2-12). Dhanush, who has produced the film, might also accompany them. This is the first time in the history of Tamil cinema that a film has been selected in the competitive category of the festival, says Vetri Maaran.
���Irrespective of the reviews we get we are just happy about the fact that the film has been selected in the competitive category. At the time of Aadukalam also, we got invites to screen it at festivals, but we were busy marketing the film in the local market. It was then I realized that I should actually show a film to an international audience and then to the audience here, as that works. Even Kaaka Muttai gained popularity after it was screened at international film festivals,��� says Vetri Maaran.
Why does this process have a special significance? ���There are many reasons. Firstly, we want to crack the international market. Also, it makes more sense to take a small film like Visaranai to an international audience, and then let it ride on that publicity in the domestic market. When it comes to big-budget films, we have to release it here to get back the money. Also, the risk factor is high ��� if the festival audiences don���t like the film, they will trash it and that will affect the domestic market. Secondly, the basic idea is to put Tamil films out there on an international platform. There is a general misconception in the west that Indian films mean only Hindi films. Tamil films being screened there will break that myth. On the business front, too, the burden of profit will be split at both, the international and regional levels. The most important thing is, it would rekindle the urge to do good work back home. People here can take pride in the film,��� explains Vetri Maaran.
Ask him if he has specifically edited the film for the international audience, and he says, ���We have cut the length of the film by 4-5 minutes. Here, we are planning to retain the actual length and are planning to release the film in October this year.���