Satyajit Ray is this Spanish director's inspiration

New Delhi: Spanish master director Carlos Saura is in India to receive the Global Lifetime Achievement Award at the ongoing Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) International Film Festival in Mumbai.

CNN-IBN caught up with the filmmaker to talk about his upcoming projects and his familiarity with Indian cinema.

From capturing the pulsating sensuality of flamenco in Carmen to the song and dance extravanganza of Fados, Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura continues to experiment with various dance forms, colour and scenography intricately entwining illusion and reality on celluloid for the last fifty years.

So what was keeping the celebrated filmmaker busy these days?

“Film on Mozart and opera,” says Saura.

A child of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath, fascism and its repressive effects is at the core of Saura's cinema whom did he look up to for inspiration?

“Satyajit Ray I also knew him personally,” says Saura.

And was he familiar with contemporary Indian cinema.

“Unfortunately no. But I will definitely pick up something from Mumbai this time,” says Saura.

But ask him about his impressions of India and he is more eloquent.

“I love coming back to India. India holds great interest for Spain. We are awed by India, its culture and people,” says Saura.

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