Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Parul Tiwari: This article aims to analyze landscape in the films of Abbas Kiarostami using the compositional frames of the films to speculate upon the cultural, political, and existential relations that come up between people and nature.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
PT: I have started with a general enquiry into the function of landscape in cinema to then propose how Kiarostami uses this tool to a very particular end, which then becomes his unique way of philosophizing filmmaking. For this, I make use of both available writings on cinematic landscape in general and landscape in his films, in particular, along with using Kiarostami’s own writings on his photography.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
PT: Originally, this article was written as a term paper for a course on introduction to film studies.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
PT: The department here is quite supportive through providing a rich library on film and media studies and through regularly conducted seminars and interactive sessions. Apart from this, it helps students in their small projects of filmmaking as well as theatre and visual art practices.
FM: How have your faculty mentors fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
PT: My faculty mentors give detailed and insightful feedback on papers and are quite open to new ideas and themes that we come up with for research and learning.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
PT: Film Matters editorial and publication process has provided me with blind peer reviews on the article, which were very specific and to the point in their articulation, helping me with identifying both the positive as well as the weak aspects of my writing.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
PT: I intend to reach out to both newly emerging film scholars as well as the people who are, in general, interested in films and film-related writing.
FM: What are your future plans?
PT: I wish to do research in film philosophy.
Author Biography
Parul Tiwari is currently studying cinema and theatre in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (India). Her aim further is to do research in film philosophy along with practicing filmmaking.
