DocNomads alumni with films in ZagrebDox, Croatia

Directed by Kinshuk Surjan

108' • Belgium, Netherlands, India • 2024

State of Affairs Program

Synopsis:

Sanjivani, a young widow in rural India, grapples with devastating loss after her husband commits suicide – one of thousands each year in India’s agriculture sectors. Now absorbed into her brother-in-law’s family, she struggles to be seen and respected. Her efforts to regain self-determination and a semblance of control over her life are compounded by the traditional social stigmas and dogmas attached to widowhood in her community. When she joins a local support group for widows-only, she unexpectedly embarks upon a transformative journey of discovery with the other women as they share their grief. Can Sanjivani’s newly-found voice shift adversity into opportunity? Are solidarity and friendships enough to quietly fuel a mental-health revolution?

in ZagrebDox catalogue

By Farah Kassem

180' • Lebanon, Qatar, Denmark • 2024

State of Affairs Program

Synopsis:

After more than a decade, Farah returns home to Tripoli, Lebanon, to care for her aging widowed father, Mustapha, only to find her city in crisis. Their generational differences often lead to clashing perspectives on the country’s political instability, making it difficult to communicate with each other. Mustapha has a secret refuge: weekly all-male poetry club, where a small group of stubborn yet lovable men gather to share poems in classical Arabic over sweets and with an agreement to disagree about everything. In order to connect with her father, Farah decides to join the club and address Mustapha in verses to connect with the poet in him. As Mustapha’s health deteriorates and the October 2019 revolution erupts nationwide, poetry becomes their chance for one last conversation.

in ZagrebDox catalogue