It is a film classic that garnered 11 Oscar nominations, but David Lean’s adaptation of A Passage To India faced strong opposition from the executors of author E. M. Forster’s literary estate.
Newly unearthed letters reveal that after reading the script, senior academics at Cambridge University’s King’s College, which controls the rights to Forster’s works, had a ‘major worry’ about Lean’s finale, believing he was trying to over-simplify the complex tale of sexual and racial tensions set against the backdrop of the British Raj.
The original novel, published in 1924, explores the fallout from a false allegation of sexual assault by Adela Quested, a newly arrived British woman in India, against the mild-mannered Dr Aziz.
The John Brabourne 2020 second round of awardees
Two UK directors with a disability are among the second round of the Film and TV Charity’s John Brabourne recipients for 2020.
The talent development grant, totalling £60,000 ($80,000), is presented to a 12-strong cohort of UK writers, directors, and producers.
See below for full list
The award, which runs twice a year, provides up to £5,000 to cover expenses ranging from development to training, production and living costs, and is aimed at helping upcoming talent overcome barriers, realise career-changing projects and take vital next steps in the industry.
Among the latest recipients is Bim Ajadi, a BAFTA Breakthrough director, who will use the award to develop a short film project demonstrating his skill as a filmmaker rather than as a deaf director, in an effort to attract more mainstream work. The London-born director’s short films include drama