From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Atul Marewad, a renowned film critic and jury member at prominent film festivals across Africa, Europe, and Asia, shares his journey from being a literature professor in India to becoming an international film critic and cultural leader.
In this exclusive interview, Marewad discusses his passion for cinema, his experiences with African cinema and cultural movements, and his vision for the future of Nigerian cinema.
Marewad’s journey into film criticism began with his love for literature. Growing up in a small village in India, he often borrowed books and watched films, which sparked his interest in storytelling.
“I used to read more than 1500 books in my bachelors – Sometimes finishing one in a day,” His background in literature has shaped his approach to film criticism, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, moral conflict, and human emotion.
Marewad’s connection with African cinema began with his exposure to African literature. He admires writers like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for their raw honesty and authenticity. He believes African cinema shares the same energy and spirit of truth-telling, reflecting the struggles and dreams of real people.
As a jury member at various film festivals, Marewad emphasizes the importance of fairness, cultural sensitivity, and authenticity. He believes that a jury member must be knowledgeable about film techniques, history, and cultural contexts to make informed decisions. “A juror must open their eyes and continuously learn from every film, every artist, and every context,” he states.
Marewad acknowledges the challenges of pursuing a career in film criticism, such as limited access to resources and the rise of casual critics. However, he believes that dedication, knowledge, and ethical commitment can help overcome these challenges and lead to international recognition.
Marewad’s vision for Nigerian cinema is rooted in authenticity and cultural integrity. He believes filmmakers should focus on telling Nigerian stories, traditions, and social realities, rather than imitating foreign trends. With structural support, including government subsidies and film schools, Nigerian cinema can become a powerful global force, reflecting the vibrancy and richness of its society.
Atul Marewad’s journey is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of cultural leadership. Through his work as a film critic and jury member, he continues to promote authentic storytelling and support emerging filmmakers.
As the film industry evolves, Marewad’s vision for Nigerian cinema serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to one’s voice and cultural heritage.
Stories That Roar: Atul Marewad on Cinema, Culture, and Critique”
Global Screens, Local Roots: Atul Marewad on Film”
Interviewer : Can you tell us about your journey from being a literature professor in India to becoming an international film critic and jury member at leading film festivals across Africa, Europe, and Asia? What inspired this transition into global cinema and cultural leadership?
Atul: I come from a small village where stories were my only window to the world. As a child, I knew only two things — to read and to watch films. I used to borrow books, bunk classes, and spend entire days reading novels, poems, and articles while lying on my bed. My parents often scolded me, saying, “Read your textbooks, not fiction.” But fiction was the only truth I wanted to live in.
I took science in school but failed because my heart never belonged there. In college at Rajaram College, Kolhapur, I read more than 1,500 books — sometimes finishing one a day. I also started collecting and distributing films in the hostel; we used to download them from local cafés for ten rupees and share them with friends. That was my first film society in a way — young, curious, and full of passion.
When I moved to Pune for my master’s at Ferguson College, I felt like an outsider. My classmates were materialistic, studying only for marks, while I was still chasing ideas and art. I used to sit with a dictionary, reading contemporary world literature and attending film festivals — watching five or six films a day from morning till night.
Slowly, my journey found direction. I joined the Accra International Book Festival as the Asia and Middle East Coordinator, connecting with writers across continents. Later, I began writing articles and research papers on cinema and completed a film appreciation course.
My real breakthrough came with the Kaduna International Film Festival in Nigeria, where I served as a jury member. That opened the door to many other festivals — Bayelsa, Coal City, Kingdom, and beyond. Coming from a small village, no one ever believed that this boy, who once got scolded for reading too much fiction, would one day be sitting on global film juries. But I think that’s what stories do — they take you where no one thinks you can go.
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Interviewer: What inspired you to engage so deeply with African cinema and cultural movements, and how has your experience with festivals like Kaduna and Bayelsa shaped your understanding of storytelling and leadership in film?
Atul: My connection with African cinema actually began through African literature. I grew up reading and admiring writers like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chigozie Obioma, Ben Okri, Odafe Atogun, Damon Galgut, Abdulrazak Gurnah, and J. M. Coetzee. Their works are full of truth, pain, and humanity — completely unfiltered. For me, African writing still carries the originality and honesty that much of the world’s literature has lost.
Today, many writers around the world write for fame or trends — for youth attention or popularity — but African literature remains deeply rooted in life, community, and conscience. That same raw energy is what drew me toward African cinema.
When I first encountered films and documentaries like “The Milkmaid,” “Eyimofe (This Is My Desire),” “Mami Wata,” “October 1,” “Emrohomie Road,” “Songs of Rifles,” and short films like “The Black Book,” “The Plan,” “Strangers,” and “A Place Called Forward,” I could feel the same pulse I had found in Achebe’s and Soyinka’s writing. These stories are not manufactured for glamour — they reflect the soil, the silence, the struggles, and the dreams of real people.
At festivals like Kaduna, Bayelsa, and Coal City, I’ve witnessed how filmmakers across Africa use cinema as a form of truth-telling. African cinema is still pure; it hasn’t been touched by the hypocrisy of over-commercialisation. It is a place of experimentation, of courage, of voices that dare to speak of wounds, faith, and hope.
For me, that is leadership — to protect the authenticity of storytelling, to remind the world that cinema is not just about thrillers, crime, or glamour, but about conscience, compassion, and collective memory.
3.Interviewer : How has your background in literature influenced your approach to film criticism and storytelling, especially when serving as a jury member across international film festivals?
Atul: For me, everything begins with the story. The real foundation of cinema is not the camera, sound, or acting — it’s storytelling. If the story has no depth, nothing else can save the film. My background in literature has shaped the way I see cinema — as a moral, emotional, and philosophical journey.
From Aristotle’s hamartia and catharsis to the idea of poetic justice, literature teaches that every story must reflect life and consequence. Even in film, we must give poetic justice — we cannot glorify the wrong or let evil win without reason. Cinema must hold a mirror to society and also give hope. It must show truth, not just thrill.
When I sit as a jury member, I first look at the story’s soul — its structure, symbolism, and honesty. You can have perfect cinematography or music, but if the story lacks conscience, the film becomes empty.
That’s why I deeply admire works like Satyajit Ray’s “Pather Panchali,” Ousmane Sembène’s “Black Girl,” Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,” and Kemi Adetiba’s “King of Boys.” Even in Hollywood, there are films that remind us of storytelling’s true power — “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Schindler’s List,” “12 Years a Slave,” “Parasite,” “Nomadland,” “The Whale,” “The Revenant,” and “Oppenheimer.” All of these films are rooted in moral conflict, human pain, and redemption.
Cinema is not just about entertainment; it’s about survival, resistance, and reflection. It should give us courage to face the world and the honesty to understand it. As a critic and storyteller, I always search for that honesty — a film that dares to feel, not just to perform.
4. Interviewer: As someone who has served on multiple film juries across continents, what leadership qualities do you believe are essential when curating and evaluating global cinema, and how do you maintain fairness and cultural sensitivity in your decisions?Top of Form
Atul: Serving as a jury member across multiple international film festivals has taught me that leadership in cinema begins with authenticity and integrity. A juror must be real — not biased, not hypocritical, and never influenced by personal friendships or external pressures. Fairness is non-negotiable; every film must be evaluated on its own merit.
Beyond honesty, a juror must have deep familiarity with the history and language of cinema. Understanding film techniques, movements, and innovations from different eras — from silent cinema to contemporary digital experimentation — is essential. But cinema doesn’t exist in isolation. Knowledge of literature, art, culture, history, geography, and symbolism is equally important because films are reflections of societies, struggles, and human imagination. A juror must open their eyes and continuously learn from every film, every artist, and every context.
Leadership in this role also means discipline and discernment. One cannot allow personal taste, fame, or trends to cloud judgment. Every frame, narrative, performance, and technical element must be weighed with care. Respecting the cultural context of a film is crucial — what may seem unconventional or subtle in one region could carry deep meaning elsewhere.
Ultimately, being a juror is about responsibility. You are the bridge between filmmakers and audiences, between the story and the world. Your decisions can uplift voices, shape conversations, and preserve the authenticity of cinema. Leadership here is not about power; it’s about vigilance, knowledge, and unwavering fairness.
5. Interviewer : Coming from a small village in India to serving on global film juries and leading cultural initiatives, what challenges did you face on this journey, and how did you overcome them to achieve international recognition?
Atul: I come from a small village in India where there were almost no cinema facilities. Hollywood films rarely reached our screens, and festival cinema was practically unknown. Even today, with the internet, access to award-winning films from Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, or BAFTA is limited in many rural areas. Regional cinemas are often powerful and meaningful, but they face scale and distribution barriers.
Growing up in such an environment, pursuing cinema was full of challenges. Resources were scarce, guidance was limited, and nobody believed a boy from a village could one day engage with global platforms. Yet passion and perseverance helped me navigate this path — reading voraciously, attending every festival I could, and learning from every film I encountered.
One of the biggest modern challenges is the overabundance of casual critics. Today, everyone comments online, but this sometimes leads to shallow evaluations, where even weak films gain attention while serious cinema struggles for visibility. This is why professional critics are irreplaceable — we offer depth, context, and honest appraisal. Criticism is a unique skill; critics should be respected, remunerated, offered residencies, and given access to more screens and international funding. Only then can we nurture genuine talent and preserve the integrity of cinema.
Despite all obstacles, these challenges strengthened my resolve. From a small village to sitting on juries at Kaduna, Bayelsa, Coal City, Kingdom, Malta, and Pokhara, the journey has taught me that dedication, knowledge, and ethical commitment are the true currency of cultural leadership.
6. Interviewer: What is your vision for the future of Nigerian cinema, and how do you see it evolving on the global stage?
Atul: My vision for the future of Nigerian cinema is rooted in authenticity and cultural integrity. Filmmakers should focus on staying true to Nigerian stories, traditions, and social realities — much like Nigerian writers do in literature, who are raw, honest, and unafraid to show the truth. Cinema has, at times, lost its way by trying to imitate foreign trends or chasing commercial glamour. When filmmakers embrace their own voices and cultural roots, Nigerian cinema can roar on the global stage just as Nigerian literature has.
For this to happen, structural support is essential. The government should provide large-scale subsidies and incentives to promote filmmaking, making it easier to produce quality films that tell authentic stories. Film schools and training programs should be built on a larger scale to nurture young talent, encourage experimentation, and develop the next generation of storytellers. With dedicated support and commitment to cultural honesty, Nigerian cinema can become a powerful global force, reflecting the vibrancy and richness of its society.
7.Interviewer: What steps do you think should be taken to further strengthen Nigerian cinema, both in terms of production and critical appreciation?
Atul: To strengthen Nigerian cinema, both production and critical appreciation need to be prioritized. On the production side, there should be larger-scale film funds, government subsidies, and private investments to support authentic storytelling. Film schools, residencies, and mentorship programs must be expanded so young filmmakers can develop skills and experiment without fear of commercial pressure. Encouraging short films, documentaries, and experimental cinema will also help diversify the industry.
Additionally, more film festivals, promotions, and platforms are essential to showcase Nigerian films locally and internationally. Greater visibility ensures that quality films reach audiences, attract critical recognition, and secure funding for future projects. Partnerships with international festivals and cultural organizations can provide global exposure while preserving Nigeria’s cultural identity in cinema.
On the critical side, professional film critics must be recognized, paid, and given residencies. Criticism is vital for nurturing talent, evaluating cinema with depth, and guiding audiences toward meaningful films.
Ultimately, Nigerian cinema will thrive when strong storytelling, institutional support, global platforms, and a robust critical ecosystem come together. With these steps, Nigerian films can achieve both artistic excellence and global impact.
8. Interviewer: What message would you like to give to young filmmakers and storytellers in Nigeria and beyond?
Atul:
I would tell young filmmakers to stay true to their stories, culture, and vision. Read widely, observe the world, and let your work reflect truth and honesty. Don’t chase trends or imitation — cinema is about courage, creativity, and conscience. Keep learning, experiment boldly, and remember that even small steps can lead to global recognition. Your voice matters, and your stories can change perspectives, inspire hope, and preserve culture for generations.
