A Night of Knowing Nothing

The winner of this year’s OEil d’Or (Golden Eye) award at Cannes, this intriguing film portrays the hopeful spirit of the youth movement calling for urgent social change in India. Director Payal Kapadia weaves a narrative from the correspondence between two university students, L and K, whose romance is thwarted by the archaic caste system. Featuring images from her time at film school, the documentary immerses us in student life and the huge personal and political shifts that it engenders. When desire crumbles into disillusionment, and when the joyful energy of the protests is crushed by repressive force, L’s revolutionary spirit stands in stark contrast to K’s conformism. A tale of love and rebellion that deftly conveys the passion, vitality, and boldness of youth. (RIDM)