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XL 8

White Ant

Shalini ADNANI

UK, India202315min Asian Premiere

Synopsis

A man is summoned from Mumbai to his village to deal with a termite infestation threatening to destroy his childhood home.

Program Note

A man returns to his old hometown after a long time, only to find his house infested with ants, which he finds bothersome. Based on the director’s personal experience when visiting his hometown, this film captures the uncomfortable perspective of the current generation when looking at the previous generation. What stands out is the use of 16mm film and the casting of non-professional actors from the local area, which shows the director’s charming endurance in his directorial intent. (Kristin JI)

Diretor

Shalini ADNANI

Shalini ADNANI is a Chilean-Indian writer and director based in London. Her latest short film White Ant (2023) premiered at Sundance 2023. She has a BA from Bard College in Political Philosophy & Latin American Studies and is represented by Liam Francis Quigley at 42 MP. Her India-set debut feature is in late stage development with Film4.