watch: bêka & lemoine paint cinematic portrait of bijoy jain and his life in mumbai

Bêka & Lemoine unveil new film with Bijoy Jain / studio Mumbai

Following their Tokyo Ride in Ryue Nishizawa’s vintage Alfa Romeo and their chaotic one-day exploration of Bangkok with Boonserm Premthada, Bêka & Lemoine now unveil their latest film, which paints the portrait of Bijoy Jain. In this visual narrative, the acclaimed artist-filmmaker duo immerses themselves in a day in Mumbai alongside the Indian architect, exploring his daily life, studio, and intimate relationship with the city.

Titled The Sense of Tuning, the movie falls on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition The Breath of the Architect at Fondation Cartier. In an interview with designboom, associate curator of the exhibition Juliette Lecorne talked about Bijoy Jain’s work and its intricate connection to time and movement: ‘From what I observe, time is consubstantial to his practice. First conceptually, as an architect, he sees the physical world we inhabit as a palimpsest of our cultural evolution. Humanity moves through a landscape in constant evolution, whose successive writings are intertwined. Secondly, the matter and material he uses are only preindustrial, revealing the specific skills of artisans that work with time.’ 

The Sense of Tuning – a film by Bêka & Lemoine | all images by Bêka & Lemoine

the sense of tuning – a dynamic cinematic experience

Conceived as a dynamic cinematic performance, the latest film captures a day-long encounter between Bijoy Jain (find more here) and Bêka & Lemoine (find more here). Spanning twelve hours of immersive exploration, the movie plunges viewers into the vibrant energy of Mumbai’s streets. The film captures intimate studio moments, observes the city’s informal strategies, and visits production sites, unveiling the connection between Bijoy Jain’s work and the city of Mumbai. Far from a static, reverential portrayal, The Sense of Tuning explores the delicate substance of the architect’s sensibility, shedding light on the organic development of his emotional connection to space, while capturing the essence of movement and the present moment. 

The movie was crafted with the support of Fondation Cartier (find more here), in collaboration with CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (find more here). 

Indian architect Bijoy Jain – the founder of Studio Mumbai

the film takes us inside Bijoy Jain’s studio in Mumbai

Bêka & Lemoine capture intimate studio moments

the city’s informal strategies are also depicted in the new cinematic creation

viewers explore the everyday life of the Indian architect

the movie also transports us to production sites in Mumbai

the environment of Studio Mumbai

project info: 

name: The Sense of Tuning
directors: Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine
director of photography: Ila Bêka
editing: Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine
colorist: Melo Prino
sound mix: Walter Amati, Fuji Studio
production coordination: Nena Aru
production: Bêka & Partners with the kind support of Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
France/India 2023, 4K, Color, 96 min