This beautifully shot story, larded with everyday family vicissitudes about saying goodbye to childhood, changes slowly but surely into a moving reflection on loss and death. Sameer (14) feels insecure about the choices he faces. He can swim as well as anyone. He also admires his slightly older cousin Nachiket, even though he needs to use floats in the water. The deep well where the boys often swim adds a symbolic accent to this autobiographically inspired story. Following a mysterious accident, Sameer is suddenly confronted by a major question in life. The time of playing hide and seek without cares has passed.
After his debut Valu (The Wild Bull), which was warmly received in Rotterdam, Umesh Kulkarni also shot The Well in Marathi, the language of one of the largest states of India with Mumbai as its capital. Marathi film has very old roots, but is now overshadowed by Bollywood.
Film details
- Country of production
- India
- Year
- 2009
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2010
- Length
- 115'
- Medium/Format
- 35mm
