In Pose and Absence

A young biracial woman, Mira, struggles to find her place and purpose amongst her family members as they grieve the death of her Baba (grandfather). As the cremation takes place and the preparations are being made for the spreading of the Baba’s ashes Mira attempts to mend the estranged relationship she has with her Dadi (grandmother) in hope of finding familial and cultural validity for her grief.

Ratgirl, a diffident 19 year-old woman, as she and her older roommate Alice discover their apartment is infested with rats — a claim which is adamantly ignored by their miserly landlord. Over the course of a hellish fourty-eight hours, Ratgirl unconfidently navigates sexual harassment, housing instability, ex-friendships, and suppressed mental illness.

Believing that she has received a sign from her deceased mother, Veera tries to bring her family back together by cooking the mother's dhal for her younger sister and withdrawn father. As she cooks, Veera is overwhelmed both by her discomfort in the kitchen as well as the memories of her elegant mother.