14/15
In Mumbai, nurse Prabhaโs routine is disrupted when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate Anu tries unsuccessfully to find a place in the city where she can spend intimate moments with her boyfriend. Director Payal Kapadia and the cast of All We Imagine As Light come together to share their most moving reactions to the events in Cannes and beyond. ! The first Indian film to win the prestigious Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the film dramatizes the many challenges faced by single women living in Mumbai and their resilience. All the women featured here are nurses in the same hospital, but thatโs where the similarities end, as each has their own problems and, one might say, solutions. Desire, fear, regret, and patience are the emotions that constantly surface as the story unfolds. Perhaps the greatest strength is the script, which offers incredibly rich and thought-provoking dialogue between the characters. There seems to be just enough action in the plot to provide the foundation for conversations in which the characters have the opportunity to be incredibly honest and forthright with each other, even when they are lying or pretending. The acting is consistently excellent and matches the writing โ there are no false notes, although there are a few intriguing flaws. The cinematography and editing are also very good, creating a reflective and slightly detached atmosphere that complements the text. The quiet intensity of the character interactions. This detachment is intensified in moments where the film feels like it has documentary elements or is even trying to do so. I wasnโt always thrilled with the music and the way it was performed, but thatโs a little marketing gimmick that many people may not understand. Yes. I dispute another reviewerโs claim that this film was designed as โaward bait.โ I think there is too much heart and sincerity in this film to call it cynical or manipulative โ certainly no more than any other film that tries to tell an important story in a way that is compelling and beautiful. And this film takes a lot of risks that I canโt imagine would go over well in an increasingly sectarian and puritanical India. I highly recommend the book All We Imagine as Light.