Panaji, Nov 26 (IANS) John Bailey, cinematographer and former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and his wife Carol Littleton’s India trip earlier this year was a “wonderful” one. A book capturing some of the moments from the trip is being made.
Bailey is back in the country. He is the head of the International Jury of the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa where he spoke about the book.
“We, as jury, spent most of the past week in a dark room all day long looking at 22 movies. We are proud of the entries this year,” the American cinematographer said on Tuesday.
Recalling his previous visit to India, he said that in May, he and his wife were invited by the Indian government when he was still serving as the President of the Academy for an official visit to India to promote relationship between the Indian film industry and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Hollywood.
“It was a wonderful trip, we met government officials and filmmakers in Mumbai and Delhi and we had a wonderful visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra on one of the hottest days of the year. I think it was 38 or 39 degrees Celsius. It was an extraordinary trip.
“Ujwal Nirgudkar (Academy Member-Class of 2017) informed me a few days ago that there is an official tribute book of that trip that is being made. That will have photographs and texts and will be done in English, Hindi and Marathi. I will be writing an introduction for it in English,” said Bailey.
Adding to it, Nirgudkar said: “When they came in May, it was their first official visit. It was the first official visit of an Academy president in the history of 90 years. We have many memories of that visit. Memories are so good that I thought they should be carried in the form of a book as a permanent memory. This will also go to the Academy’s library in Hollywood…the English version. It will be permanently kept there.”
Bailey is an award-winning cinematographer and is known for films like “The Big Chill” and “Ordinary People”.
–IANS
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