In a remote Meghalayan region of northeastern India, where widespread Christianity and ancient tribal pagan beliefs clash vehemently, the local pastor holds tight rein over a rural community which comes alive mostly at night. For Kasan, a young boy with poor eyesight, the world could not be more terrifying. As the imperious local pastor prophesies the apocalypse while selling salvation for a hefty price, a series of unexplained disappearances starts taking place. When a family of mysterious outsiders arrives at the village, a growing sense of dread and mistrust spreads like wildfire, and the community begins to implode.
An eerie sense of impending doom engulfs the viewer from the opening sequence of this Locarno selected, cryptic and utterly engrossing film, as we find ourselves navigating a dense forest in the deep of night, amidst a sea of fellow souls, lanterns in tow, tonight in search of cicadas, tomorrow, possibly, for a missing child–that is, if the sun ever rises. Through sweeping night photography, a brooding soundscape and an enigmatic script whose startling dramatic turns include an awe-inspiring visit to the underworld, Dominic Sangma, in his remarkable second feature – a truly international co-production among five countries – masterfully manipulates our primal existential fears. What results is a slow burning cinematic immersion whose glowing embers continue to enrapture long after the credits roll.
Dominic Sangma
A graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) in India, Dominic Sangma worked at the National Film and Development Corporation for two years before launching his own production company, Anna Films. He also co-founded the Kelvin Cinema Festival of Films, where he serves as its Artistic Director.
