Last Film Show

Nine-year-old Samay (Bhavin Rabari) from Chalala, a village in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India spends an entire summer watching films, from the projection booth of a rundown movie place, by bribing the projectionist - Fazal (Bhavesh Shrimali). He is absolutely mesmerized by films and filmmaking, to the point that he decides to become a filmmaker, unaware of the heartbreaking times that await him.

• Bhavin Rabari as Samay
• Bhavesh Shrimali as Fazal, Projectionist
• Richa Meena as Baa, Samay's mother
• Dipen Raval as Bapuji, Samay's father
• Paresh Mehta as Cinema manager
• Vikas Bata as Nano
• Rahul Koli as Manu
• Shoban Makwa as Badshah
• Kishan Parmar as ST
• Vijay Mer as Tiku
• Alpesh Tank as Mr. Dave, Teacher
• Tia Sebastien as Leela Mila
• Jasmin Joshi as Rathor

File:Pan Nalin on the shoot of 'The Last Film Show'.jpg, Gujarat, India in 2019]]

The film is semi-autobiographical as Nalin was born and brought up in Adtala village in Saurashtra.{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2021-04-22 |title=Pan Nalin's 'The Last Film Show' Marks Return to Big-Screen Experience at Tribeca Festival (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/last-film-show-tribeca-festival-spotlight-pan-nalin-1234957622/ |access-date=2021-05-27 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Six village boys from local communities of the region were cast. The film was shot in villages and railway station in Saurashtra. He also brought old celluloid Hindi films and a technician to run projectors. The cast is mostly made of child actors. Dilip Shankar, Nalin's friend and casting director, assisted Nalin in casting the child actors. The film was shot in March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India. The post-production was completed during the pandemic.{{cite web|last=Pandya|first=Sonal|date=10 June 2021|title=Heart of Chhello Show is the jugaadu spirit, says filmmaker Pan Nalin|url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2021/jun/10/29972|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613191459/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2021/jun/10/29972|url-status=live|archive-date=13 June 2021|access-date=13 June 2021|website=Cinestaan}} The film is produced by Dheer Momaya's Jugaad Motion Pictures, Nalin's Monsoon Films and Marc Duale's Stranger88 in co-production with Virginie Lacombe's Virginie Films and Eric Dupont's Incognito films.

The film focuses on hope and innocence. It also highlight ending culture of single-screen cinema and 35mm celluloid films in India.

Ahead of its premiere, the film was acquired by Neue Visionen for Germany, Karma Films for Spain, Shochiku for Japan, Red Cape and Nachson for Israel and Nos Lusomundo for Portugal.{{Cite web|last1=Ramach|first1=Naman|last2=ran|date=2021-06-09|title=Tribeca Title 'The Last Film Show' Racks up Global Sales, Reveals Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/tribeca-the-last-film-show-sales-1234992189/|access-date=2021-06-15|website=Variety}}

The film premiered at the Spotlight section of the 20th Tribeca Festival on 10 June 2021. It was the first Gujarati film that was selected for this section of the festival.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-27|title=Pan Nalin's Gujarati film Chhello Show to open Tribeca Film Festival's Spotlight section|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/pan-nalins-gujarati-film-chhello-show-to-open-tribeca-film-festivals-spotlight-section-9571021.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Firstpost|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427125406/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/pan-nalins-gujarati-film-chhello-show-to-open-tribeca-film-festivals-spotlight-section-9571021.html |archive-date=27 April 2021 }}{{Cite news|first=Vaishali|last=Rathod|title=Pan Nalin: The premiere of 'Chhello Show' at the Tribeca is great news for Gujarati and Indian cinema - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/gujarati/movies/news/pan-nalin-the-premiere-of-chhello-show-at-the-tribeca-is-great-news-for-gujarati-and-indian-cinema/articleshow/82385931.cms|access-date=2021-05-27|website=The Times of India|language=en}}{{cite web |last=Pandya |first=Sonal |title=Chhello Show trailer: A boy is transformed by the magic of cinema |website=Cinestaan |date=11 June 2021 |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2021/jun/11/30016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613181805/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2021/jun/11/30016 |url-status=live |archive-date=13 June 2021 |access-date=13 June 2021}}

More than a year after its premiere at Tribeca, Siddharth Roy Kapur's Roy Kapur Films acquired the rights to present and distribute Last Film Show in its home country of India, in partnership with PVR Pictures, the motion picture distribution arm of PVR Cinemas. The film was theatrically released in Gujarat and on screens across India on 14 October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |date=20 September 2022 |title=Oscars: India Selects 'Last Film Show' For International Feature Race |url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/oscars-india-last-film-show-international-feature-1235122848/#:~:text=Last%20Film%20Show%20world%20premiered,across%20India%20on%20October%2014. |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|94|7.7|16|ref=yes|access-date=October 14, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/last_film_show|title=Last Film Show|via=www.rottentomatoes.com}} Prahlad Srihari of Firstpost called the film "an ode to movie-going, as movie-making".{{Cite web|last=Srihari|first=Prahlad|title=Tribeca Film Festival 2021: Pan Nalin's Last Film Show is an ode to how we interact with cinema as kids|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/tribeca-film-festival-2021-pan-nalins-last-film-show-is-an-ode-to-how-we-interact-with-cinema-as-kids-9714581.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-15|website=Firstpost|date=2021-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614063653/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/tribeca-film-festival-2021-pan-nalins-last-film-show-is-an-ode-to-how-we-interact-with-cinema-as-kids-9714581.html |archive-date=14 June 2021 }} Tanzeem Pardiwalla of Mashable India rated it 5 out of 5, praising its direction, cinematography, theme, story and performances.{{Cite web|last=Pardiwalla|first=Tanzeem|title=Tribeca 'Last Film Show' Review: A Visually Stunning Love Letter To Cinema|url=https://in.mashable.com/entertainment/22907/tribeca-last-film-show-review-a-visually-stunning-love-letter-to-cinema?amp=1|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-15|website=Mashable India|date=2021-06-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616042858/https://in.mashable.com/entertainment/22907/tribeca-last-film-show-review-a-visually-stunning-love-letter-to-cinema?amp=1 |archive-date=16 June 2021 }} Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it 4 out of 5 stars and called it "a gem that is both rooted and universal".{{Cite news |last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |date=14 October 2022 |title=Chhello Show Review: Visually Arresting, Emotionally Engaging Coming-Of-Age Tale |work=NDTV |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/chhello-show-review-visually-arresting-emotionally-engaging-coming-of-age-tale-4-stars-3430228 |access-date=14 October 2022}} Shwetha Kesari of India Today gave it a 4 out of 5 stars and praised it for its performances and cinematography.{{Cite news |last=Keshri |first=Shweta |date=14 October 2022 |title=Chhello Show Review: Pan Nalin's ode to cinema is a winner, Oscar or not. But Oscar, please |work=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/chhello-show-review-pan-nalin-ode-to-cinema-bhavin-rabari-oscar-2023-2284664-2022-10-13 |access-date=15 October 2022}} Nandini Oza of The Week rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and said that "Human relations have been captured beautifully".{{cite web |title='Chhello Show' review: An ode to childhood innocence and love for cinema|url=https://www.theweek.in/review/movies/2022/10/15/chello-show-review-an-ode-to-childhood-innocence-and-love-for-cinema.html|website=The Week|access-date=18 October 2022}} Pratikshya Mishra of The Quint and wrote "Chhello Show is a reminder of what happens when film evolves into cinema".{{cite web|title='Chhello Show' Review: A Glorious Tribute to the Art of Cinema and Human Spirit|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/chhello-show-review-full-film-the-last-film-show-indian-oscar-entry#read-more|website=The Quint|date=14 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}} Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The film pays tribute to the tribe that cannot imagine cinema being anything but a large screen experience in a dark hall. And no rewind or fast forward button".{{cite web |title=Chhello Show Review: Bitter Sweet Memories|url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/review/chhello-show-review/20221014.htm|website=Rediff.com|access-date=18 October 2022}}

Firstpost{{'}}s Anna M. M. Vetticad rated it 3/5 and compared it to Cinema Paradiso stating that "Chhello Show is slender in comparison, but works all the same as an enchanting, bitter-sweet reminiscence".{{Cite news |last=Vetticad |first=Anna M.M. |date=13 October 2022 |title=Last Film Show (Chhello Show) movie review: Bitter-sweet though somewhat slim ode to cinema |work=Firstpost |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/last-film-show-chhello-show-movie-review-bitter-sweet-though-somewhat-slim-ode-to-cinema-11439961.html |access-date=15 October 2022}} Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that "it has a familiar problem, and that is the gaze through which some elements are turned exotic or too-pretty."{{Cite news |last=Gupta |first=Shubhra |date=14 October 2022 |title=Chhello Show movie review: A steeped-in-nostalgia story about love for cinema |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/chhello-show-movie-review-a-steeped-in-nostalgia-story-about-love-for-cinema-8207992/ |access-date=15 October 2022}} Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu praised the film for theme, story, cinematography, direction and performances.{{Cite news |last=Chandar |first=Bhuvanesh |date=2022-10-13 |title='The Last Film Show' (Chhello Show) movie review: A dreamy, moving tribute to cinema |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-last-film-show-chhello-show-movie-review-a-dreamy-moving-tribute-to-cinema/article65995926.ece |access-date=2022-10-22 |issn=0971-751X}}

Richard Whittaker of The Austin Chronicle said that the film was "as visually intoxicating as it was thematically rich".{{Cite web |last=Whittaker |first=Richard |date=21 April 2022 |title=Indie Meme Review: Last Film Show |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2022-04-21/indie-meme-review-last-film-show/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=The Austin Chronicle}} David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a B+, calling it "an ethereal take on the magic of movies".{{Cite web |last=Ehrlich |first=David |date=16 June 2021 |title='Last Film Show' Review: An Indian Boy Creates His Own Cinema in a Sweet Ode to the Movies |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/06/last-film-show-review-tribeca-1234644762/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=IndieWire}}

{{more citations needed section|date=October 2022}}

The film was nominated for the Audience Award in the Narrative section at the 20th Tribeca Festival, held from 9 to 20 June 2021.{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=24 June 2021 |title=Tribeca Festival Winners: 'Catch The Fair One' And 'Blind Ambition' Nab Audience Awards, Joining Juried Nods For 'The Novice', 'Brighton 4th', 'Ascension' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/tribeca-festival-2021-winners-films-1234777532/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} It was nominated for the Tiantan Awards at the 11th Beijing International Film Festival.{{Cite news |first=Liz |last=Shackleton |date=21 July 2021 |title=Beijing film festival unveils line-up for 2021 physical edition |language=en |work=Screen Daily |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/beijing-film-festival-unveils-line-up-for-2021-physical-edition/5161799.article |access-date=7 September 2021}} It won the Audience Award at the World Cinema section of the 44th Mill Valley Film Festival, held from 7 to 17 October 2021. It won the Golden Spike Award for the Best Picture at the 66th Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci), held from 22 to 29 October 2021.{{Cite web |last=Foreman |first=Liza |date=1 November 2021 |title=Pan Nalin's 'Last Film Show' Tops Valladolid |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/valladolid-film-festival-2021-winners-1235101739/ |access-date=1 November 2021 |website=Variety}} It was nominated for the Best Feature Film - Avante-Garde and Genre at the 23rd Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema, held from 20 April to 1 May 2022.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} It won the Luminaries Jury Award - Special Mention at 14th Milwaukee Film Festival, held from 21 April to 5 May 2022.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

At the 69th National Film Awards announced in August 2023 the film won two awards - "Best Feature Film in Gujarati" and "Best Child Artist" for Bhavin Rabari.{{cite web |title=69th National Film Awards 2023 - Winners announced |url=https://www.brutimes.com/2023/08/69th-National-Film-Awards-2023-Winners-announced.html |website=Bru Times News |language=en}}{{cite web |title=69th National Film Awards 2023 complete winners list: Rocketry, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Allu Arjun win big |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/69th-national-film-awards-2023-winners-list-8907028/ |website=The Indian Express |language=en |date=24 August 2023}}

• List of submissions to the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
• List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

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• {{Official website}}
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{{Indian submission for Academy Awards}}

Category:2010s coming-of-age drama films

Category:2021 films

Category:Films set in Gujarat

Category:Films shot in Gujarat

Category:2010s Gujarati-language films

Category:2021 drama films

Category:Indian coming-of-age drama films

Category:Films directed by Pan Nalin

Category:Semi-autobiographical films

Category:Films featuring a Best Child Artist National Award–winning performance