Aamir Bashir was previously known as an actor, but in his debut film he gives us a revealing picture of everyday life in Kashmir, where the Indian army has been battling rebels wanting independence for decades.
The protagonist is Rafiq, whose brother has been missing for four years, probably – as so often – kidnapped by the Indian army in an attempt to suppress the rebellion. Rafiq doesn’t know what to do. He’s no good at protesting, the jobs he does do not offer much perspective. While his mother tries desperately to get her missing son back, his father is close to a nervous breakdown. Rafiq’s life seems to acquire some meaning when he finds his brother’s camera and decides to start taking photographs.
In a calm tempo, Bashir tells an oppressive story set in a place where violence forms a continuous threat. The tension is tangible, and for kids like Rafiq it’s difficult to see any future.
Film details
- Country of production
- India
- Year
- 2010
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2011
- Length
- 99'
- Medium/Format
- 35mm
