At the Stairs by Rajesh Jala (29′)
‘At the Stairs’ captures lonely moments and lifeless lives of three aged widows who have been waiting for decades to die in Banaras. Ironically, they live at a paradoxical venue, Manikarnika, the busiest cremation ground, where cremations never stop. This film glimpses through the silence of these lonely souls living amidst the deafening sound of death rituals.

Children of The Pyre by Rajesh Jala (74′)
‘Children of the Pyre’ is a compelling real-life, self-narrative of seven extraordinary children of Varanasi who make their living out of the dead at Manikarnika, the busiest cremation ground in India. Tempered by the heat of the pyre, strengthened in the face of adversities, crafted by the volley of abuses, watch these imps weave through the pyres and struggle through disdain to snatch their livelihoods.

In partnership with Dharamshala International Film Festival and The Root Reel