The promise of a late-night bite at a local burger-joint lures a young girl into a rickshaw. When she ends up at a dysfunctional Mumbai police station a few hours later, a frustrated police woman must figure out what happened, amidst unreliable accounts from unlikely witnesses, as the event sparks a complex and emotional dialogue–that unfolds only partly in words–among various women from different walks of life.
Masterfully intertwining a multitude of perspectives that eloquently point to invisible bonds among women, IFFLA alum Reema Maya [Counterfeit Kunkoo, Grand Jury Honorable Mention for Short, IFFLA 2018] paints an intricate portrait of Indian urban society, in this astute and captivating film that dexterously uses the cinematic medium at its fullest power, with a haunting score punctuating a sophisticated soundscape to boot. The film world premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Content Advisory: Mild themes of sexual assault/ child abuse
Reema Maya
Reema Maya (a.k.a. Reema Sengupta) is an award-winning filmmaker known for her eclectic commercials, music videos, and socially-relevant independent fiction. Her 2018 short film COUNTERFEIT KUNKOO premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018, where it was the first Indian fiction short in 16 years. NOCTURNAL BURGER also premiered at Sundance Film Festival this year. On top of her narrative work, Maya has directed ad-films for brand campaigns and created music videos for Indian artists under the banner of her studio, CATNIP. She was awarded the prestigious Asian Film Academy Fellowship Award in 2012 and represented India at the Busan International Film Festival. She is also a two-time TEDx speaker. She studied Contemporary Media Practice at the University of Westminster, London.
