In Cinemas Worldwide 8th December 2023
joram
Producer : ZEE Studios, Anupama Bose, Devashish Makhija
Writer | Director : Devashish Makhija
Cast : Manoj Bajpayee | Zeeshan Ayyub | Smita Tambe | Megha Mathur | Tannishtha Chatterjee (Special Appearance) | Jacky Bhavsar Abhinendr
synopsis
A desperate man and his infant daughter fleeing a system that wants them crushed at any cost, a cop giving unwilling chase, and a bereaved mother seeking ruthless vengeance, collide in a tense, breathless survival thriller across a brutal landscape of devastated forests, blind greed, rebellion, and the bloody aftershocks of ‘development’.
awards & recognition
- Big Screen Competition, International Film Festival Rotterdam 2023.
- Official Competition, Sydney Film Festival 2023.
- Best Actor & Best Cinematographer winner, Official Competition, Durban International Film Festival 2023.
- Official Selection, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2023.
- A window on Asian Cinema, Busan International Film Festival 2023.
- Snapshots, Chicago International Film Festival 2023.
- Jury Prize for Best Film & Best Actress winner, Main Competition, Stars Asian International Film Festival 2023.
- Gala Premiere, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023.
- Closing Film, Dharamshala International Film Festival 2023.
- Closing Film, International Film Festival of South Asia, Toronto 2023.
- Official Competition, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles 2023.
- Extra-Ordinary Lives, London Indian Film Festival 2023.
- Centerpiece Film, Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart 2023.
- Official Competition, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023.
reviews
- “…Bressonian tension… sizzling action, lawless atmosphere and lively locations… presented with undeniable vigour and detail.”
~ Lou Thomas, Sight And Sound
https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/joram-this-indian-corruption-thriller-sizzles-smokes - “…reminds us what radical storytelling feels like… nuanced, gorgeously subdued… a political drama about Indigenous survival masked as a pulse-pounding crime thriller.”
~ Rory Doherty, Projektor
https://agoodmovietowatch.com/projektor/joram-review/ - “Where Joram excels, and what makes it stand apart, is that it is not primarily interested in its genre roots, or the manhunt, but instead the world in which it takes place and the bigger social issues that it tackles.”
~ Anthony Frajman, FilmInk Australia
https://www.filmink.com.au/reviews/joram/ - “…a thrilling genre film… a modern spin on ‘North by Northwest’”
~ TheWeeReview
https://theweereview.com/preview/10-films-to-see-at-edinburgh-international-film-festival-2023 - “…propulsive energy… that one might find in a Sergio Leone Western… Joram never has to explicitly underline its environmental message, as the imagery enough is to inspire the same aching emotion reflected in Dasru’s eyes.”
~ Ross McIndoe, Vague Visages
https://vaguevisages.com/2023/08/21/joram-review-movie-film-devashish-makhija/ - “…an excellent movie… a wonder to look at”
~ Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
https://asianmoviepulse.com/2023/02/film-review-joram-2023-by-devashish-makhija/ - “…makes a striking impact.”
~ Namrata Joshi, Screen Daily
https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/joram-rotterdam-review/5178689.article - “…a thrilling film, beautifully shot, well acted, and an exciting manhunt mystery.”
~ Ard Vijn, Screen Anarchy
https://screenanarchy.com/2023/02/rotterdam-2023-review-joram-a-manhunt-thriller-with-a-message.html - “…a fast-paced survival thriller…”
~ Naman Ramachandran, Variety
https://variety.com/2023/film/festivals/manoj-bajpayee-rotterdam-joram-1235506182/ - “…haunting…”
~ Devarsi Ghosh, LiveMint
https://lifestyle.livemint.com/how-to-lounge/movies-tv/in-devashish-makhija-s-joram-a-world-ravaged-111675916839530.html - “incredible… uncompromising”
~ Josh Hurtado - “Joram isn’t meant to be entertaining but it is gripping from start to finish… first-rate performances that enhance the impact of the film… an immersive and disturbing man-on-the-run drama…”
~ Saibal Chatterjee
https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/joram-review-a-stellar-manoj-bajpayee-helps-the-unsettling-film-anchor-itself-4-stars-4541393 - “Never have I seen themes of displacement and existential crisis being explored so beautifully, on-screen.”
~ Vijayalakshmi Narayanan
https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/joram-review-manoj-bajpayee-is-spectacular-in-this-delightfully-disturbing-tale-of-survival - “…authentically crafted, brutal and raw… Joram is a film you cannot escape from”
~ Prem Shashi
https://talkingfilms.net/ciff-review-devashish-makhijas-joram-is-an-intricately-woven-thriller-that-exposes-the-social-structure/ - “…one of the most important films of the year”
~ Aayush Sharma
https://coastalhousemedia.com/2023/11/03/joram-review-manoj-bajpayees-stellar-acting-grounds-an-unnerving-masterpiece/ - “The women characters make a teleological break in how the genre has been presented and consumed over time… they keep the adrenaline high and pace intense while breaking the tropes and archetypes.”
~ Tanushree Ghosh
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/jio-mami-2023-making-of-joram-manoj-bajpayee-devashish-makhija-a-big-studio-make-the-subaltern-run-11607521.html?fbclid=IwAR0Vpzz4dd9cF_fNZHtpgcvuN2sBHTiTSrsVelV_1xVxmo9W5yOrVYNgGaI - “…an intense and gripping genre film – a survival thriller… lets the social commentary simmer under the surface, not letting it overpower the tense atmosphere…”
~ Virat Nehru
https://www.highonfilms.com/joram-2023-iffla-movie-review/ - “Joram is rich in poetic idiom and symbolism… a tactility (that) transported me into the heart and sinew of a moment… (a work of) cinematic beauty”
~ Nandini Sen Mehra
https://www.nriaffairs.com/devashish-makhijas-joram-part-survival-drama-part-psychological-thriller-and-a-world-of-uncomfortable-truths/ - “…a superb noir-tinged chase thriller conceived by a pro with dynamic variety and great characters we genuinely care about… Highly recommended!”
~ https://periscopejd.wordpress.com/2023/10/11/the-59th-chicago-international-film-festival-part-1/ - “Joram is in an incredible feat… Definitely a film I would not mind queuing up for an hour at a festival.”
~ Kalpana Nair, IMDB
https://m.imdb.com/list/ls523770402/mediaviewer/rm1746419457/ - “An outstanding political thriller in the tradition of the 1970s Italian and French crime films, investigating government corruption and the ordinariness of evil in modern capitalist society.”
~ International Film Festival, Rotterdam - “…edge-of-your-seat survival thriller that deftly weaves political intrigue with a stylish and propulsive cinematic sensibility… skilfully creates great tension while gradually revealing the political underpinnings of the thrilling action.”
~ Sydney Film Festival - “…delivers intense genre filmmaking with heart-stopping moments of peril, while bringing piercing intelligence and empathy to the globally resonant struggles of indigenous people displaced.”
~ Edinburgh International Film Festival - “The thriller is a race across India’s troubled interior. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat, as the drama unfolds…”
~ Durban International Film Festival - “…some of the very best action scenes of the year, including an incredibly-choreographed chase scene where the lead character has a baby strapped to him the whole time. Really harrowing, nail-biting stuff!”
~ Sam Flancher, Chicago International Film Festival
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/hidden-gems2023/ - “…masterfully subverts cinematic conventions, blending thriller, noir, and western elements. Through a mesmerizing narrative that oscillates between heart-pounding pursuit and introspective exploration, “Joram” lays bare the desperation that can arise from societal inequalities, offering a powerful and unapologetic examination of the human condition in the face of adversity.”
~ International Film Festival of South Asia, Toronto - “…fervor, rawness and edge… Action-packed, sophisticated storytelling… Joram invites us to reflect upon the moral implications of the hefty price of ‘progress’.”
~ Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles - “Joram is a heart-thumping survival thriller with a hard political edge.”
~ London Indian Film Festival