Genesis

Mrinal Sen's minimalist masterpiece Genesis is a cinematic oddity - like the principal characters in the story - the weaver and the farmer - the film itself seems to exist outside of time and space.

Hardly anyone has heard of it, let alone managed to see it. Even Sen-iphiles continue to be blissfully unaware.

This is surprising considering the kind of talent of which the film boasts. The minuscule cast consists of the cream of the crop - Naseerudin Shah, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi - among the finest Indian actors of their generation.

The picture can be read as a religious and political allegory, but most of all it symbolizes itself - an obscure gem lost underneath the rubble of "progress".

This one is definitely worth the effort of finding and watching. Although somewhat slow paced, this film is remarkable in it's simplicity and understated approach. It's essentially a 3 character drama, full of melancholy, laughter, symbolism, and nuggets of truth. briefly, it deals with the story of mankind, as it might have been in the beginning (although the period shown is not really defined, there are some references to contemporary times). Friendship, loyalty, pride, lust, envy, freedom and ownership are just some of the themes explored here. This is the kind of film that tends to stay with you long after it ends. If it is hard to find, don't worry.....it's really worth it.