Praveen Morchhale’s latest work is based on true stories from the region of Kashmir.
Friday, July 31, 2020: Chicago – The Facets Virtual Cinema will screen director Praveen Morchhale’s latest film, Widow of Silence (2018), from July 31 to August 13. The film is presented in Urdu and Hebrew with English subtitles; was produced in India; and has a runtime of 85 minutes. Pre-orders are available now at www.facets.org/cinematheque/. 50% of all ticket purchases go to Facets in support of the organization during the closure.
Based on stories from the region where it was filmed, Widow of Silence highlights the tormenting and painful socio-political situation in conflict-ridden Kashmir. The film tells the story of Aasiya who works as a nurse at a hospital in Kashmir, raising her 11-year-old daughter while taking care of her sick mother-in-law. She lives in a grueling legal limbo as a “half widow”, since her husband, like many others in her Muslim village, was arrested and never returned. Between work and keeping house, she is trying to obtain his death certificate, since his passing has not been officially confirmed, which becomes a Sisyphean struggle against the corrupt authorities. With its absurd humor, Widow of Silence expresses the tales of these “half widows” who live in isolation while coping with abuse, sexual harassment, and humiliation on a daily basis.
Praised by The New York Times as “a serenely beautiful tragedy” and RogerEbert.com as “quietly enraging,” Widow of Silence is confidently directed and marks Praveen Morcchale as the leader of the Indian New Wave.
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FACETS connects people to independent ideas through transformative film experiences. Founded by Milos Stehlik in 1975, FACETS inspires audiences to engage with film not simply as entertainment, but as an exciting tool to bridge cultural divides, promote digital literacy, and expand perspectives through empathy-driven storytelling.
FACETS proudly presents the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, the oldest and one of only two Oscar-qualifying children’s film festivals in the world. The 37th annual festival runs November 13 – 22, 2020.
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