New Indian film brings women's issues to Cannes

The first Indian film to compete in the Cannes Film Festival for 30 years brings women’s issues in India to international screens. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Women's issues in India are being brought to international screens at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in France,

00:08 the first Indian film to compete in 30 years.

00:11 I feel really privileged to be here because it's not a very big film and it was just really nice to get this honor.

00:19 Payal Kapadia is the director of All We Imagine as Light,

00:23 a film that tells the story of two women sharing an apartment in India

00:27 and the challenges they face in a male-dominated society.

00:30 I don't think it's specifically about women in India.

00:32 It's a film about friendship and I think that's a universal thing.

00:36 And whether it's India or anywhere else, every woman suffers under the binds of patriarchy

00:42 and that sort of comes in the way of female friendship.

00:45 And this was one of the core themes of my film.

00:48 The two female protagonists explore together the meaning of independence, financial freedom,

00:53 sexual desire, and female friendship in a country where such topics are often taboo.

00:58 The film comes as India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's political party,

01:02 is running a campaign focused on women's welfare, including cash handouts and domestic benefits.

01:08 But his government has a mixed record in tackling the rate of crime against women.

01:12 Amen.