Asian Cinema Fund

ACF Asian Cinema Fund

Asian Network of Documentary(AND) Fund

2012 Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund

LIST Footprints in the Desert

Category	DMZ Fund
Project	Footprints in the Desert
Director	Balaka GHOSH
Country	India
Director's Profile	Balaka GHOSH is a filmmaker based in Kolkata, India and has been making films for the past 20 years. He received several National Awards and International acclaim for her films. Films about people and social issues are her forte. Her film The Vehicle with the soul of a Man was screened at 27 international film festivals including Cannes, Cinema du Reel, Tampere, Uppsala, Munich, Berlin, San Francisco, Bilbao among others. She had done several projects funded by the Jan Vrijman Fund, IDFA. An empanelled director/producer for a joint social communication Institute of the Indian and Italian Government. Her previous project Mother, media and landmines is co-produced by NHK. Her project Red Fairy n the Holy Ghost is funded by Jan Vrijman Fund. Her latest documentary is also being co-produced by NHK Japan.

Synopsis: A human story of the India-Pakistan Border lying across the vast expanse of rolling golden sand, through the footprints in the desert. Abdul (85) is a footprint reader. Alhadeen (35) is a Muslim Aulia who travels along the border looking out for the people. Abdul with an ancient mysterious knowledge reads the footprints which cross the border. Alhadeen finds the people, their pain, joy and longing for the other side. The footprints lead to the real people, their real feeling and story is woven on 60 years of pain, deprivation, longing and love… the feeling which rarely comes out in the projected relationship between the two countries.

Director's Note: The times are troubled. There is tension, hatred, fear and betrayal between people and countries. Here were people struggling with the harsh realities of living, probably the worst sufferers of the partition between two countries, yet they nurture in their hearts so much love, trust and peace. They suffer because of these feelings in the hands of state yet that doesn’t deter them from extending friendship to the so called enemies. A beautiful and inspiring tale in the diseased times. Almost unbelievable. A strong story that will inspire many and give a rare insight into the actual feelings of people co-existing in the border of two countries (India and Pakistan) we love to call enemies. This is probably the first time actual voice of these voiceless people will be heard.

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