Crescent in the Saffron Sky
Alishan Jafri and Omair Farooq
As Hindu nationalism sweeps India and pushes Muslims to the wall, Asaduddin Owaisi, a prominent Muslim leader, sees an opportunity to expand his political ambitions. But does his politics have a future? This documentary dives deeper than the headlines that routinely demonize Owaisi, offering a nuanced portrait of the leader and the challenges faced by smaller parties like the AIMIM who engage in identity politics.
Location: Hyderabad, Telengana, (53 min)
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Inside Out
Amit Mahanti
By looking at the electoral battle between two regional parties in Meghalaya and their articulation of ethnicity and identity, the film explores notions of belonging and otherness through the eyes of the filmmaker, an insider-outsider in Shillong today
Location: Shillong, Meghalaya (57 min)
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State of Hope
Anjali Monteiro and K.P Jayasankar
State of Hope follows the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign of Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac, the Left Democratic Front candidate in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. The film explores his election manifesto which focuses on employment generation, organic farming, women’s enterprise, waste management, palliative care and other initiatives for people’s empowerment. The film portrays the uniqueness of Kerala as a state, given its history of social movements and civil society organisations.
Location: Pathanamthitta, Kerala, (65 min)
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A Minuscule Minority
Avijit Mukul Kishore
77 years after India’s independence, queer rights were not on any political party’s agenda in the General Elections of 2024. This film features intimate conversations with young, second and third generation queer rights activists who are engaged with political parties to bring queer rights into the political arena. This is a significant shift after the first three decades of queer activist movement that focused on petitioning the judiciary to grant rights of equality to queer individuals.
Locations: Various cities, (74 min.)
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Our Symbol is?
Greeshma Kuthar and Manju Priya K
As Hindu nationalism and other dominant ideologies seep into Tamil Nadu’s political context, a cultural battleground takes shape-where identity is contested, symbols are repurposed, and tradition is strategically redefined. “Our Symbol is?” explores a state at a turning point: who defines its symbols, who benefits from their meaning, and in this struggle for power and identity, what will Tamil Nadu preserve- and what will it leave behind?
Location: Various locations in Tamil Nadu, (51min)
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The Battle Royale
Lalit Vachani
The Battle Royale tracks Mahua Moitra’s re-election campaign in the high stakes battleground constituency of Krishnanagar, West Bengal, as she fights for her political survival and for redemption and retribution. Pitted against her in a close three – cornered contest are the CPI(M)/INC candidate, S.M. Sadi, and the Rajmata (royal queen) of Krishnanagar, Amrita Roy, who is supported by the mighty BJP.
Location: Krishnanagar, West Bengal, (87 min)
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Gola Dreams
Pankaj Rishi Kumar
‘Gola Dreams’ is a filmic deconstruction of the electoral process. It is set in Gola, a small town, part of Kheri LS constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Through electoral meetings, campaigning, interviews of youth candidates, and conversations with the youth (electorate and party workers) the film attempts a portrait of young political minds in their full complexity. ‘Gola Dreams’ aims at transporting the viewer not only to UP, but to anywhere in India.
Location: Gola, Uttar Pradesh, (51 min)
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Ruke Na Jo
Prateek Shekhar
In Bihar’s Nalanda, a young leader rises from the grassroots, challenging entrenched powers with limited resources but unwavering determination, proving that elections are more than votes—they’re a battle for democracy.
Location: Nalanda, Various locations in Bihar, (72 min)
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SANGAMA | Coming Together
Sunanda Bhat
A behind-the-scenes look at how a popular people’s movement against hate and divisive politics takes on the might of an authoritarian right-wing party in the recent Indian General Elections 2024. With a large band of volunteers on the ground, Eddelu Karnataka (‘Wake-Up Karnataka’) teams with citizens’ groups across the country, to dramatically shift the conversation from ‘mandir’ (temple) to ‘mudda’ (issues), making this a closely fought election.
Location: Bengaluru, Various locations in Karnataka, (67 min)
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