This year’s four films from India ranges from the horror flick Ludo and The Fourth Direction, set during the historical conflict between Sikh separatists and the Indian military, to more contemporary topics: Angry Indian Goddesses is a liberal female-centric buddy film, a cinematic contribution to the rising discourse on women’s rights in India.
1. Angry Indian Goddesses
[sgiff_embed][/sgiff_embed]
28 Nov, Sat / 4:30PM / Shaw Theatres Lido
A frank and liberal female-centric buddy film is hard to come by in Hindi cinema. Pan Nalin’s third feature film is a bold and accessible attempt that accomplishes just that, offering us unabashed comedy that echoes Bridesmaids, while offering a cinematic contribution towards the rising discourse on women’s rights in India.
Upon the invitation of Frieda, an idealistic photographer, her motley crew of friends gathers in a beachside residence Goa for a surprise celebration. As she gradually reveals the significance of the gathering, the entourage, who represent varying female subjectivities in contemporary India, engage in comical and dramatic conversations, ranging from frank discussions on sex, relationships, jobs and marriage.
2. Ludo
[sgiff_embed][/sgiff_embed]
1 Dec, Tue / 7:00PM / National Museum of Singapore
It starts off simple enough: a girl flees her overbearing mother and dingy apartment to join her girlfriend out for a night of hedonistic fun with two guys they met off the Internet. Lacking available hotel rooms, the quartet, completely drunk, decide to sneak into a closed shopping mall where they stumble upon a creepy old couple. The quartet joins them for a game of Ludo; when all hell breaks loose as the old woman bites off the lips of one of the men, guts and then feasts on his bowels. What follows next is a schizophrenic montage of fire, blood and sex that both dazzles and confounds.
3. The Fourth Direction
[sgiff_embed][/sgiff_embed]
1 Dec, Tue / 4:30PM / The Arts House
4 Dec, Fri / 9:30pm / National Museum of Singapore
Based on two short stories by Waryam Singh Sandhu,
is set during the historical conflict between Sikh separatists and the military. Two Hindu friends Jugal and Raj missed the last train to Amritsar. They barge into a cargo train, where they find themselves in the company of other illegal passengers. Months earlier, a family living in a rural farmhouse is caught between the opposing forces when their dog barks ceaselessly at night, breaking the veil of silence.
4. The Last Mango Before the Monsoon
1 Dec, Tue / 7:00PM / The Substation
In this short film, part of the Imagine: Asian Shorts Programme 2, the concept of memories and dreams are explored through two sequences. One sequence details the monitoring of animal activity during nighttime at the forest. The other draws in on a woman who misses her late husband and the forest dearly.