STRANGERS
feature documentary movie
75 min, 201p
Director: Laura Kansy, Oskar Zoche
DOP: Laura Kansy
Producer: lost and not found films in cooperation with University for Television and Film Munich
Festivals
- filmforum freiburg, 2019
- dokKa Karlsruhe, 2019
- Juvinale, 2019
- International Festival of Ethnological Film Belgrade, 2019
- Peloponnisos-doc-festival, Jan. 2020
Awards
- Best Film Award at the International festival of Ethnological Film, Belgrade 2019 in the student competition
“Seeing the film through perspectives of four among many different identities in Indian society, we notice certain similarities with modern social challenges that many societies are facing, including our own. In that sense, this film reflects the phenomena of globalization processes, as well as replacing and including traditional and modern cultural relation which are, in a specific way, present in the lives of different social groups.“
Synopsis
As a Muslim, Jiaul strives for mutual respect and equality of religious minorities, while Ram, member of the highest Hindu caste and nevertheless living in poverty, is eager to uphold traditional Hindu values. The homeless drug dealer Manoj finds in his lovesickness distraction from is daily struggle for survival, while the young student Tashi has difficulties coming to terms with her role as a woman in the Indian society. The sudden demonetization plunges the whole country into chaos.
What beliefs rule their everyday lives?
Which social attributes determine whose word is heard and whose not?
How do people – whose paths would never cross in real life – interact in a cinematic space, where as many signs of their belonging as possible have been stripped off?
In turbulent times four strangers, who would never meet in real life, enter into dialogue and draw an intimate portrait of an Indian society.
co-director, cinematography, feature documentary movie, India, 2019