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Two Indian filmmakers’ works selected for 2025 Sundance Film Festival
The festival, known for championing bold, independent storytelling, will take place from Jan.23 to Feb.2, 2025, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Exploring Queer identity: Rohan Kanawade’s Sabar Bonda / Sundance
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival has spotlighted two Indian filmmakers in its highly anticipated lineup. Indian American Geeta Gandbhir’s ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ has been selected for the US Documentary Competition, while Rohan Kanawade’s Marathi film ‘Sabar Bonda’ (Cactus Pears) is featured in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
The festival, known for championing bold, independent storytelling, will take place from Jan.23 to Feb.2, 2025, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Documenting consequences: Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor
Geeta Gandbhir’s ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ takes a gripping look at a seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida that spirals into deadly violence, exposing the consequences of the state’s controversial “stand your ground” laws. Sundance describes the US Documentary Competition category as a showcase of nonfiction American films offering “a first look at world premieres of nonfiction American films illuminating the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.”
Documenting consequences: Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor / SundanceGandbhir, an Emmy-winning filmmaker, started her career working with Spike Lee and Sam Pollard. She transitioned into documentary filmmaking after 11 years in scripted film and has since become a prominent voice in the industry.
Her accolades include the Independent Spirit Award for Black and Missing and a Peabody Award for PBS's The Asian Americans. Notable works include How We Get Free (shortlisted for an Academy Award) and Apart, which won a 2022 Emmy. The Perfect Neighbor adds another feather to her illustrious cap as she continues to delve into socially relevant narratives.
Exploring Queer identity: Rohan Kanawade’s Sabar Bonda
Rohan Kanawade’s ‘Sabar Bonda’ (Cactus Pears) is the only Indian film selected for Sundance this year and the first Marathi film to premiere at the festival. The film tells the poignant story of Anand, a city dweller who returns to his rural ancestral home to mourn his father’s death, where he forms an unexpected bond with a local farmer. The narrative explores queer life among rural, lower-caste communities, delving into themes of grief, identity, and belonging.
Kanawade’s filmmaking journey is unconventional yet inspiring. With no formal training, the Mumbai-based filmmaker left his full-time interior design job in 2010 to pursue his passion for storytelling. His previous works, such as the lesbian short U Ushacha (U for Usha), have received global acclaim, traveling to over 35 international film festivals and winning multiple awards.
The selection of ‘Sabar Bonda’ in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition highlights the growing recognition of regional Indian cinema and its ability to tell universal yet deeply personal stories.
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