Friday, April 20th - 5:00 pm - St. Anthony Main     Director: Chitra Palekar   Renowned screenwriter and producer Chitra Palekar makes her directorial debut with this affecting tale of a low caste woman shunned by a patriarchal and superstitious society.

Based on a short story “Baayen” by Mahasweta, A Grave-Keeper’s Tale is the saga of Chandi, a beautiful young woman from a lower caste, whose family has traditionally been in charge of a children’s graveyard. When her father dies, because the family has no male heir in the family, Chandi inherits the job and performs it with great pride as her sacred duty. But after she gives birth to her son Bhagirath, things change. Being a mother, Chandi now becomes deeply affected by children’s deaths. The film is an emotional tale of a young mother who is trapped between her instincts and needs, and the compulsions of her ancestral duty as dictated by the social system. Palekar explores with great empathy the nuances of village life, prejudices of caste, and the traditional constraints placed on women as seen through the female protagonist, powerfully portrayed by Nandita Das.

Cast: Nandita Das, Kshitij Gavande, Atul Kulkarni

In Marathi with English subtitles, India, 98 minutes, 2006, 35mm