Thread by @rinald

Gaston Roberge SJ (1935-2020), Jesuit from #Calcutta, has been among India’s acclaimed #film scholars. Born in Montreal, he joined the #Jesuits in 1956, studied film at @UCLA, came to India in 1961, and was ordained priest in 1967. He passed away on Aug 26 in #Kolkata @SXC_Kol.

In collab with filmmaker #SatyajitRay, #GastonRoberge founded #Chitrabani — the only independent film library in Calcutta, in 1970. From here, Roberge pioneered film studies from early 70s. His friendship with Ray led to a creative effluence b/w each other’s film theory&practice.

Roberge’s #scholarship influenced numerous filmmakers & theorists in #Bengal & India. He authored numerous books on film & media; some of which include: Chitrabani(1975), Mediation(1978), The Faithful Witness (2000), Cyberbani(2005), Media Dancer(2008), Indian Film Theory (2011).

His book on Communication Cinema Development: From Morosity to Hope (1998) received special mention at the 46th National Film Festival (1999) for bringing “a #multidisciplinary approach to bear on the subject of film.” @historiadomus

Roberge contended that in this age of fierce globalisation it was high time that we formulated an Indian Film Theory —a theory that would inform the films that he called Indian folkmovies, which were seen & enjoyed more than once by millions of Indians over a long period of time.

@suhridsankar @frontline_india
Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay, “Unlikely Colleagues,” Frontline, August 11, 2006, frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-cultu…

@AmirulRajiv @dailystarnews
Amirul Rajiv and Ahsan Habib, “Aparajito and Aristotle: An Interview with Father Gaston Roberge,” Forum, The Daily Star, June 2007, archive.thedailystar.net/forum/2007/jun…

@prolexicon @UCANews
Myron Pereira, “India’s Jesuit Film Scholar Dies at 85 - UCA News,” UCA News, August 28, 2020, ucanews.com/news/indias-je…

@NarenPachkhede @thewire_in
Narendra Pachkhédé, “Father Gaston Roberge Retained a Lifelong Love for and Commitment to Indian Cinema,” The Wire, September 1, 2020, thewire.in/film/father-ga…