KERALA TOURISM:" Your moment is waiting" a tourism promotion film

Somerset Maugham the famous English novelist,who once visited Kerala, in the first half of the twentieth century,wrote about his spiritual pursuits and his moment of self-discovery in the much acclaimed novel "The Razors Edge". This land, blessed with natures abundant generosity, has continued to be a haven for those on the exalted plane of self actualization. An insight, which possibly led the marketing team to look at "your moment is waiting" as a proposition for the upmarket UK traveler. The film "your moment is waiting" which is attached below, was made as per this brief according to press releases.



While the thought that "your moment is waiting" is evocative of a personalized experience and cues the fact that the land has myriad opportunities for the traveler to have an experience which is unique to him, the film ends up being too arty and vague. The model, Miriam Ilorah, who is from Sweden is possibly here to cue the upmarket inbound international traveler, but in effect, is overpowering the commercial and doing too much of a "video cannibalization". Her antics, which include some weird, obscurantist ritual (a girl who is rags and unwashed being subject to some sorcery ritual) is extinct in the current context and is simply catering to some anachronistic stereotypes some people have of the country. The Kathakali artist and also the Theyyam artist have been caricatured and almost mocked in the manner in which they have been depicted. This obviously may not go down well with the practitioners of the craft and their patrons.
The audio track is from Senegal, and credited to someone called Maal. This possibly accounts for the eerie wailing tone that follows the movie throughout. "Surreal" was the intention of the film maker, I am told!! As to why he should choose "Senegalese" to introduce personal moments in "Kerala", is something that defies logic.The film ends up looking and sounding like a music video of an abstract rock group which is in the throes of collective depression. For me, the palette too was dreary and grey, quite unlike the bright cyan and rich green that we associate with the state.The attempt probably would have been to make it "exotic" or maybe ensure that the visuals were also "surreal"!

Somehow this film, though well shot, seems to have missed all that is unique to the State and give it its unique character.The Kerala feel is missing altogether. I simply could not therefore relate to this rendition of "Gods own country". I am not saying that this had to be a catalogue of places to see in Kerala, but the theme of "personal moments" could have been rendered with veritas.

THE AGENCY SIDE OF THE STORY: STARK ADVERTISING.

It would only be fair to provide the other side of the story. This is what B.R. Swarup the Creative Director from the agency has to say on this:
http://www.campaignindia.in/Article/233509,your-moment-is-waiting-says-new-kerala-tourism-tvc.aspx

CHARGES OF PLAGIARISM: MEXICAN TOURISM FILMS BY DIEGO PERNIAS 

It is interesting to note that the whole film seems to be a part of the visually rich series shot by Diego PernIas for Mexican Tourism. The tenor tone and feel are the same, right down to the slow movement and the wailing soundtrack. While Pernia's has stayed true to the collage of colors and the culture of Mexico, our friend Mr Varma, seems to have ignored the ethos and the feel of the State of Kerala altogether.

http://corpgypsy.blogspot.com/2010/09/mexico-tourism-some-exotic-films.html

Diego Pernias has taken care to change the look and colors of the 10 films he has shot to stay true to the place he is showcasing, an elementary precaution that Varma should have taken. In which case this would have been a brilliant effort all round!!

CHARGES OF PLAGIARISM :THE ASHES AND SNOW FILM BY GREGORY COLBERT

Even as the din about this being a rip-off from the Mexican films is about to die down, fresh allegations of this being a frame by frame lift from Gregory Colberts film has been doing the rounds.. As this video shows, the commercial seems to be almost a copy of another video used by  Gregory Colbert  as part of his Ashes and Snow exhibition project!!
You can read more about it in http://www.ashesandsnow.org/en/info/?module=page&idsection=1



The PR Machinery has been at pains to handle this onslaught of negative comments in the media. This is an  article in the ET:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Didier-Drogba-endorses-Kerala/articleshow/6609719.cms

The Hindu gives the impression of being  stridently "leftist" in his views and does this  possibly   explain the tilt in favour of this film? We don't know!. Ever since Mr Ram ended up looking very silly on National television ( NDTV),after his assessment of the political situation in Tamil Nadu during the Lok Sabha elections  proved to be completely removed from reality, not much of credibility is being attributed to its views by this writer.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article696850.ece?sms_ss=twitter&sms_ss=twitter

RELATED LINKS ON Kerala Tourism
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THE REALITY OF KERALA

The tourist in Kerala has to be prepared for the high density of population, the ubiquitous greenery of equatorial flora and fauna, the never ending coastline with its pristine fishing beaches, the placid blue-green backwaters with swaying coconut trees, the yearlong bright sunny days and even the short monsoons with its incessant rains. There are wild forest reserves where elephant herds graze lazily, tea gardens along cool hills stations with quaint Victorian English cottages, small bustling towns where traditional buildings with tiled roofs and ancient woodwork stand cheek by jowl with modern glass and concrete towers, ancient churches, mosques and temples with elaborate sculptures, all of these make for a busy cultural cauldron that awaits him...even if it is in the premium segment.
The many exclusive resorts that thrive here provide the benefits of a much revered and traditional medical system called Ayurveda through spa treatments which have a growing following among the cognoscenti. Kerala, where literacy is at its highest in the country and where women enjoy almost equal rights to men, has an enlightened policy as far as preserving its culture goes.
Kalari payyatu the native form of martial arts, still thrives in many kalari sanghams and students from the world over come and stay years to master this craft. Traditional performing arts too are carefully preserved,fostered and taught to many. Kathakali, Mohiniattom are forms that are popular at global centres. Temple arts and rituals too are not allowed to perish. The Pongala at Manacaud, the Sabarimala rituals, the Pooram at Trichur are avidly watched by the curious traveler and anthropologist.