Ms. Laaw-yuhr asks a good question: why go through the trouble and expense of putting Sita Sings the Blues on 35mm film?
1. The most prestigious and important film festivals still show only film, not video. The next deadline for the first of these is Berlin, November 1st. If Sita is accepted, she’ll have to be on film by the end of January.
There’s been a huge proliferation of film festivals in recent years, and many do screen video and DVD. But the “big five” (Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Sundance) retain a strong preference – if not outright requirement – for film.
2. Professional distributors prefer film, and I hope to attract a distributor.
3. The digital projectors in mainstream theaters use a proprietary codec, as deigned by the Motion Picture Association. Obtaining the license for that codec is expensive.
4. Art houses, the likeliest theatrical destination for “Sita,” seldom have the fancy new digital systems anyway, relying instead on inferior tape and DVD projectors, or good ol’ gorgeous film.
5. Film looks great. And I have designed the entire production with film in mind as the final destination. Everything is 24 frames per second, at a film-worthy resolution.
6. Film is a universal platform that works around the world. Video standards differ from region to region, and digital projection technologies are ephemeral. Since “Sita” is likely to be seen overseas in a variety of countries, including many places that can’t afford the latest digital systems, film is the best vehicle for her.
7. Add your own reason in the comments.
