Kirti Kulhari's 'Kinaare' to premiere at Dharamshala Film Festival
What's the story
The 15th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) will feature the premiere of Kirti Kulhari's debut production venture, Kinaare. The film, directed by Akbar Quadri and Azam Quadri, will be screened at the festival. Written and directed by the Quadri brothers, it stars Kulhari as Amina, a single woman in a village near Delhi caring for her elderly parents.
Film plot
This is what happens in the film
The film's story, per Variety, revolves around Amina's cousin, played by Azam, who unexpectedly returns after a 15-year absence.
His arrival triggers memories of the events that once tore their family apart. By the end of his visit, Amina finds closure with her past.
The cast also includes Rajeev Siddhartha, Alka Amin, and Ravi Taneja.
Production insights
Why Kulhari produced 'Kinaare'
Kulhari, who produced the film under her banner Kintsukuroi Films, said she was drawn to the script because it resonated with her.
"It's a simple, heartwarming, and subtle film. I find all these adjectives in Iranian films - which I've always really loved - so when something like this came to me, I knew I had to make it," she said.
Siddhartha added that the film has a universal theme that will touch everyone who sees it.
Festival opener
'Not a Hero' will open DIFF
Rima Das's Not a Hero will be the opening film of DIFF.
The India-Singapore co-production debuted at Berlinale earlier this year, where it won a Crystal Bear Special Mention in the Generation Kplus strand.
It later bagged the best indie film award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and has also been screened at Zlin, Zurich, and Busan.
Festival lineup
Other films that will be screened at DIFF
The latest additions to the DIFF lineup include Don Palathara's The Uncertainty Principle, set among young people in Kochi pursuing careers in cinema.
Other notable entries are Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi's Kolkata-set family drama Shadowbox, Rafael Kapelinski's Poland-Hungary title Budapest Diaries, and Eimi Imanishi's Western Sahara-set Nomad Shadow.
The festival will also screen Gurvinder Singh's Locarno title Rehmat and Oliver Laxe's Cannes-winning Sirat.