Sonali Joshi

From Himalayan mountains to vibrant cities, this programme of short films takes us on a journey through urban and rural landscapes across South Asia, exploring contemporary youth experience, identity, existence and place.

THE OPEN DOOR

Director: Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk I Dzongkha + English subtitles I Bhutan 2018 I 15 mins

‍‍This four-act short charts the life of Pema, from birth to adulthood, and the many challenges she faces in her life. Each act represents a different season and a different phase of her life - from the time of Bhutan’s bartering trade with Tibet to democracy in the 21st century. The film takes its title from the age-old Bhutanese custom of leaving front doors open, only closing them before going to bed.

KANYA

Director: Apoorva Satish I Tamil + English subtitles I India/Czech Republic 2020 I 15 mins

Kanya, an adolescent girl, has apromising career as a competitive swimmer. However, her aspirations are threatened following her first period, as she faces her family’s expectations that she accepts a traditional female role. A coming-of-age drama about a girl growing up in a traditional community in which gender stereotypes are deeply rooted. According to director Apoorva Satish, “Kanya is a story of liberation and the phenomenon of moving beyond the conventional status of a woman in a patriarchal community.”

THE EYES OF SUMMER

Director: Rajee Samarasinghe I no dialogue I Sri Lanka 2020 I 15 mins 

A little girl living in a remote village in southern Sri Lanka develops a friendship with a spirit that lives in an abandoned house. The film, shot in 2010 in the director’s mother’s village immediately after the civil war, was developed collaboratively with members of his family there and improvised around his mother’s interactions with spirits in her community during her childhood.

SANDSTORM

Director: Seemab Gul I Urdu + English subtitles I Pakistan 2021 I 20 mins

When a Zara, a teenage girl living in Karachi, shares a sensual dance video with her ‘virtual’ boyfriend, things take a dark turn, in this social commentary on youth, innocence and the digital age within a conservative and patriarchal society.