Frozen

Shivajee Chandrabhushan's refreshing debut feature is located high up in the Himalayas.

Extreme conditions and the hardship of this frigid and pristine world are part of the daily life for Lasya, a mixed-race teenager, and her brother and widower father. But they have to adjust to a new reality when the army, searching the frontier for terrorists, sets up a base just a few metres from their house.

They are advised to pack up their ancestral home and move on. While father sinks deeper into debt, lonely Lasya is awakening to adult life and attracting the interest of unsuitable admirers. As the cold-hearted locals also plot to exploit their plight, the family begins to crack at the seams. Searching for an escape, Lasya crosses the deadly border line towards a chilling finale.

Chandrabhushan, who cites Satyajit Ray and Iranian filmmakers like Majidi as early influences, exhibits a sharp eye for detail while eliciting some riveting performances from his cast in this simple but powerful human story.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney