The Winter of Love’ opened the 2001 Raindance East Film Festival and was enthusiastically welcomed for its originality, daring themes and cinematic vision. The Winter of Love features the talents of Shiv Grewal, Gurpreet Bhatti, Dev Sagoo, Pravesh Kumar and Badi-u-Zaman. The Soundtrack to the film is by Kuljit Bhamra.
‘The Winter of Love’ Blogs have appeared regularly at the About Film Blog. Here are a few tasters: Composer Kuljit Bhamra and the making of ‘The Winter of Love’
“All these experiences and memories were re-awakened the first time I read Shakila’s script. What struck me initially was her clever use of imagery in an un-chronological order”. Kuljit Bhamra
Kuljit Bhamra’s original and passionate soundtrack for The Winter of Love left many wanting more from this versatile composer. Since creating the highly original soundtrack, Kuljit has gone on to create music for prestigious shows and films.
The soundtrack for The Winter of Love is due for release on Keda Records.
Here, Kuljit give a personal account of creating the music for The Winter of Love.
“Writing the score and recording the music for the film was a memorable and rewarding experience for me - one that will forever remain fresh in my mind - for two reasons. Firstly, much of the filming took place in my hometown Southall at locations that I used to frequent as a young teenager.
Devil’s Tunnel (as we used to call it) ran under the Southall rail track, creating a pedestrian link between Park Avenue and the old Quaker Oats factory. I remember daring my childhood mates to cycle to the end of the long, cold, damp, dark passage and return. We would congregate at the entrance for hours exchanging idle gossip and daring each other- anything to distract us from actually taking up the spine-chilling challenge. Not one of us did......"
An Extract from the ScreenplayKuljit Bhamra’s original and passionate soundtrack for The Winter of Love left many wanting more from this versatile composer. Since creating the highly original soundtrack, Kuljit has gone on to create music for prestigious shows and films.
The soundtrack for The Winter of Love is due for release on Keda Records.
Here, Kuljit give a personal account of creating the music for The Winter of Love.
“Writing the score and recording the music for the film was a memorable and rewarding experience for me - one that will forever remain fresh in my mind - for two reasons. Firstly, much of the filming took place in my hometown Southall at locations that I used to frequent as a young teenager.
Devil’s Tunnel (as we used to call it) ran under the Southall rail track, creating a pedestrian link between Park Avenue and the old Quaker Oats factory. I remember daring my childhood mates to cycle to the end of the long, cold, damp, dark passage and return. We would congregate at the entrance for hours exchanging idle gossip and daring each other- anything to distract us from actually taking up the spine-chilling challenge. Not one of us did......"
"When I started to write the screenplay for The Winter of Love (formally ‘A Quiet Desperation’) I was looking for not just story in the classical sense but I wanted to create a visual language that the film could inhabit - something that was truly its own language; body and soul. Rumi’s famous saying of “it takes the raw to know the ripe” kept coming to mind. Although it was something that I had read 15 years prior to putting pen to paper, visually this image really stayed with me because you knew its essence was pain coupled with joy. I wanted to be able to illustrate that sense through framing; through the use of prime lenses; in the editing; the lighting; through its essential movement and with as little dialogue as possible. Shammi’s (played by Shiv Grewal) world of prostitutes, memories and the need to get away all added to how the film naturally came together: to that of a non-linear structure. At the time of writing and indeed the final release, very few films were so structured. Now, I am pleased to say that the ‘non-linear’ has become a style in its own right that audiences have embraced...."
‘The Winter of Love’ and its Film Language
"In ‘The Winter of Love’ (formerly ‘A Quiet Desperation’), film language or creating its own internal language was a key driving force in making the film. Upon reflection, the DOP commented that we had entered the realms of European film making – albeit some clumsy moments, the film’s ambitions to a certain extent were met.
By using a non-linear structure, which at the time of filming was just coming to the notice of audiences, the film tried to make a difference in how low budget films were structured. In hindsight, it might have been easier to go with a conventional structure as the theme of the language was alienation and the outsider, a tall order by any means....."
By using a non-linear structure, which at the time of filming was just coming to the notice of audiences, the film tried to make a difference in how low budget films were structured. In hindsight, it might have been easier to go with a conventional structure as the theme of the language was alienation and the outsider, a tall order by any means....."
ASIAN WOMAN magazine gives THE WINTER OF LOVE 5 STARS
“The Winter of Love is a sensitive drama that gets under the skin of Asian life with its atmospheric visuals and a compelling soundtrack by Kuljit Bhamra” Suman Bhuchar writing in Asian Woman, January issue....."
Koutaiba Al-Janabi, Cinematographer of 'The Winter of Love'
"Renowned Cinematographer Koutaiba Al-Janabi’s contribution to the independent film, The Winter of Love, was uncompromising. Highly experienced of working on low budget productions and supporting new film makers, meant that filming of The Winter of Love was possible. Below is an extract of an interview with Koutaiba Al-Janabi conducted by Charlie Sen....."
Sound Design and ‘The Winter of Love’
"Sound Design has fast been gathering the momentum of star status within the post production world of motion picture. The importance of sound design to a film is paramount and with the advent of technical progress, the sophistication of its application and creation of sound design is reaching heady heights, ever evolving.
In The Winter of Love, the sound design created by Julian MacDonald is highly original, which is not be confused with the film’s soundtrack composed by the legendry Kuljit Bhamra. Julian has gone on to produce a fascinating world of emotion through sound where the characters in the ‘The Winter of Love’ epitomise a specific group of people suffering a universal truth....."
‘The Winter of Love’ and the use of colourIn The Winter of Love, the sound design created by Julian MacDonald is highly original, which is not be confused with the film’s soundtrack composed by the legendry Kuljit Bhamra. Julian has gone on to produce a fascinating world of emotion through sound where the characters in the ‘The Winter of Love’ epitomise a specific group of people suffering a universal truth....."
"In ‘The Winter of Love’ (formerly ‘A Quiet Desperation’), the use of colour and choices were paramount to establishing character and the mood of the story. By choosing to make the film primarily in winter and parts of it shot in early summer, the colour and mood were set. Locating the film in Southall also meant a deep influence in the colour tones – ranging from bright pinks through to rustic colours of autumn and winter.
The art direction by Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra meant bringing in her sensibility for the interior scenes of the film. Preeti’s bedroom became a key scene where a particular orange and yellow were used to create a golden light around the character.
Using Vermeer’s work, the Dutch painter as a starting point, the colours came together very easily – warm lights highlighting the character and not the scene meant that the focus of the story was maintained and enhanced. In both the bedroom scenes and the bath scenes, warm tones were used to help with developing sympathy for Preeti’s character....."
The art direction by Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra meant bringing in her sensibility for the interior scenes of the film. Preeti’s bedroom became a key scene where a particular orange and yellow were used to create a golden light around the character.
Using Vermeer’s work, the Dutch painter as a starting point, the colours came together very easily – warm lights highlighting the character and not the scene meant that the focus of the story was maintained and enhanced. In both the bedroom scenes and the bath scenes, warm tones were used to help with developing sympathy for Preeti’s character....."
To read the complete The Winter of Love blog posts click here.