A Throw of Dice (Prapancha Pash)
Special Screening - Doha Tribecca Film Festival 2010
Franz Osten / Feature Narrative / India, U.K., Germany / 1929 / 74 min / Black & White / HDCAM / In Silent / English, Arabic subtitles / N/A
Rated: General Audiences. Suitable for ages 4 and up.
Synopsis
Nitin Sawhney, one of the most versatile and sought after composer s and producers alive today, has composed an original soundtrack to accompany the 1929 silent film, "A Throw of Dice" by acclaimed German director Franz Osten. Describing the story of a craps game between two Indian kings for the hand of a poor beauty, the film features thousands of extras and exotic animals, combining the spectacle of a Cecil B. DeMille biblical epic with an early Bollywood sensibility. The soundtrack will be performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) along with Nitin Sawhney and his key musicians.
About the Director
Franz Osten
Born in 1876 and living until 1956, "Osten" was a German who started in silent films and then became among the first makers of "Indian talkies." His 1929 "A Throw of Dice" contributed to the appreciation of Eastern religion, and rivaled "Intolerance" for its use of innumerable extras and large sets. Osten's films have enjoyed a revival over the past decade.
Credits
- Director
- Franz Osten
- Screenwriter
- Niranjan Pal, W.A. Burton, Max Jungk
- Producer
- Nadine Luque, Tim Pearce, Domenico Procacci, Himansu Rai
- Cinematographer
- Emil Schunemann
- Cast
- Seeta Devi, Himansu Rai, Charu Roy, Modhu Bose, Sarada Gupta, Tincory Chakrabarty, Lala Bijoykishen