The Great Abandonment

Three friends who bonded over their radical beliefs in the 1930s reunite after becoming estranged over a book one of them wrote.

A wry, modern-day parable of religion and politics that plays out in the Indian countryside, Searching for Saraswati travels to Mughalwali village in Haryana - where, it is claimed, the mythical Saraswati river has been found. An understated and hilarious portrait of politicians, priests, and religious devotees all hurrying to get in on what they hope will be a religious and cultural groundswell, no matter what the skeptics say.

Showmen riding cinema lorries have brought the wonder of the movies to faraway villages in India once every year. Seven decades on, as their cinema projectors crumble and film reels become scarce, their patrons are lured by slick digital technology. A benevolent showman, a shrewd exhibitor and a maverick projector mechanic bear a beautiful burden - to keep the last traveling cinemas of the world running. A critically acclaimed, poignant documentary that celebrates India’s travelling picture shows and laments their demise, filled with exquisite visuals and marvellous eccentrics.

Since Narendra Modi first took office in 2014, 47 people have been killed in cow-related hate crimes in India. 76 percent of those who died were Muslim. Asmeena mourns the death of her husband, a dairy farmer named Rakbar, who was allegedly murdered by “cow vigilantes.”