'Marvel, DC Comics an inspiration to lovers of fantasy'

Los Angeles-based producer of Indian origin, Mubina Rattonsey, who also backed the Bollywood hits as "Kaminey", has her hands full. "Gamma Man", a superhero movie, is one of the films that she will be producing. She says Marvel and DC Comics, home to some of the most popular superheroes, are an inspiration to every lover of science fiction, fantasy and horror.

Her aim has been to tell stories on a large platform with an attempt to move and challenge global audiences through powerful story telling.

"Under our recently launched, Los Angeles-based parent company Zero Gravity Partners, my co-owners Rohini Singh, Manmeet Singh, Armaan Zorace, and I, have cultivated a formidable slate of film and television content. From a business perspective, we see more opportunity in Hollywood than ever before. The drive is to begin working creatively and collaboratively with new partners in Hollywood to build a diverse portfolio of projects with worldwide appeal," Rattonsey told IANS.

"Across a wide range of genres and budget scales, we aim to deliver up to three films per year."

The company has three films coming up - "Wraith", "Gamma Man" and "The Aryan Papers".

"First up, is a modern ghost story 'Wraith' about a couple that head to a town where an evil presence surrounds them. And how they have to fight forces from other dimensions to survive. This first-of-its-kind horror film is written and directed by Armaan Zorace, a Cannes-nominated filmmaker," she shared.

"Through his distinctive vision on 'Wraith', the director is attempting a unique hybrid genre by merging the real and the paranormal world. He has been developing a camera technology called the 'Ghost Cam', that's specifically designed for the project and working on a special Binaural 3D sound to allow an immersive paranormal experience. 'Wraith' is set in an Islamic nation and will feature a live Muslim exorcism," she added.

There's also "Gamma Man", a superhero film about a teenager who acquires supernatural powers when he is exposed to a meteor shower. The world has grown up on reading about and watching Marvel and DC Comics. Did her team take any inspiration from these two biggies for "Gamma Man"?

"Marvel and DC Comics, are an inspiration to every lover of science fiction, fantasy and horror. As a team, we find inspiration in any genre or film, that has the ability to entertain and impact viewers at a global level and is set for a wide release," said Rattonsey.

Another movie the company is working on is "The Aryan Papers", which is an epic war-drama about a Polish musician who embarks on a journey in search of her fiancee during WWII.

She seems to be on a roll. But there is gender pay parity even in Hollywood. How does she manage to overcome this obstacle as a woman producer with an independent film production company?

"The narrative around women assuming powerful positions and the gender pay parity has changed. But it's not enough. It is no where close to enough. We at Zero Gravity Partners, take pride in the formation of our company with an equal balance of power. We find a compelling need to bring about awareness and to help allow flexibility at various levels of movie making. We intend to build and shape the narrative, strike an overall gender balance and empower fearless filmmakers - Indians and of all ethnicities worldwide, to bring gravity to that narrative," she concluded.