Wagah

Colour, 35 mm
Germany, India, Pakistan, 2009, 14 min
Section: Documentary Films in Competition

Synopsis

Each night Wagah, the only crossing along the more than 3000 km India-Pakistan border, becomes the locus of an exceptional event. Crowds of people observe the symbolic spectacle of the closing of the border, trying to get as near to the gates as possible in its aftermath. There they greet former friends and acquaintances – their neighbors until the 1947 partition of the country. In contrast to its tenor, this peculiar "festival,” seen through the eyes of three young DVD sellers, represents the lone daily moment when, at least symbolically, the two nations are rejoined.

About the director

Supriyo Sen lives and works as a screenwriter and director in Calcutta and Delhi. His latest film, Wagah, is the third installment of a trio that includes the documentaries Way Back Home (2003) and Hope Dies Last (2006), treating the theme of the partition of India and Pakistan. His feature film debut is currently in the works.