This name of Sonum Sumaria’s deliberate documentary might suggest a overall impression of opportunities, yet her documentary actually zooms in on an indigenous lifestyle that has become painfully limited.
The protagonist and his family – hailing from a many ancestors of nomadic herders – raise camels on the expanses of Kutch in the west of India.
Everyday customs, making rotis over open fires and tending to their livestock, play out in close-up, relaxed moments.
Intimately in Communion with the Natural World
These daily practices are deeply in communion with the land, but the terrain has fundamentally transformed, endangering their way of life.
Water scarcity persists, offering minimal hydration for Ahmed’s ailing animals.
Climate change is just one factor; in suggestive panoramic views, we observe energy turbines and factories, business operations that convert the nearby land into barren land.
Lack of Assistance for Desert Pastoralists
Furthermore, although regulations allocate pastureland for bovines, no equivalent policies are made available for those with camels, goats and sheep.
Undernourished, Ahmed’s animals grows increasingly unhealthy.
In a sorrowful twist, mounting debts and healthcare bills soon force him to part with most of his herd.
Critical of Current Economics
While questioning modern commerce, Sumaria’s documentary refrains from glorifying tradition.
Besides their herding traditions, Ahmed’s clan holds onto traditional perspectives of male and female responsibilities.
The bulk of the home duties is done by the female members, for example his child Hanifa, whereas her brothers are free to play.
Within this culture, female children are not given a formal schooling; they are supposed to wed at a young age.
Fascinating and Empathic Representation
This film might have explored further into these concerns, tying them perhaps to the larger issues concerning the lack of public aid.
However, for a feature debut, this stands as a gripping and caring depiction of a disappearing culture.
