Seven Hours to Burn
"A visually expressive personal documentary that explores a family's history. Filmmaker Thakur mixes richly abstract filmmaking with disturbing archival war footage to narrate the story of her Danish mother's and Indian father's experiences. Her mother survives Nazi-occupied Denmark while her father experiences the devastating civil war in India between Hindus and Muslims. Both emigres to Canada, they meet and marry, linking two parallel wars. Their daughter lyrically turns these two separate histories into a visually rich poem linking past and present in a new singular identity." — Doubletake Documentary Film Festival
Director, Writer, Editor: Shanti Thakur
©1999, Experimental Documentary, 9 minutes, USA/Canada
“Exceptionally imaginative...dreamlike...a visually compelling film.” — Paul Curci, Philadelphia City Paper
“Impressionistic cinematography is juxtaposed with searing archival images while spare narration combines with a nuanced sound design. The viewer is swept into the mood of the piece and must consider the long-lasting effects--both internal and external--of conflict and change.” — Kristine Samuelson, Stanford University
“Shanti Thakur brings her biracial sensitivities to bear on historical traumas that shaped her parents’; separate, but parallel, experiences. Images of past ethnic and religious “cleansing”; come poignantly to the fore as she sits by her Indian grandmother’s corpse burning on the banks of the Ganges, and seeks peace (her name) for herself, her family, and the world.” — Rosane Rocher, University of Pennsylvania
Best Documentary Short Film, (Oscar Qualifier) Cleveland International Film Festival
Best of 25 years of Black Maria Film Festival, Museum of Modern Art, New York City
Gold Prize - Documentary, New York Expo of Short Films
Best Documentary, City Paper’s Philadelphia Independent Film Contest
Best Documentary Short, CineWomen New York
Best Documentary, Nextframe Film Festival
Best Editing, Nextframe Film Festival
Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film Festival
Director’s Choice Award, Black Maria Film and Video Festival
Bronze Award–Experimental Film, Worldfest-Houston Film Festival
Honorable Mention, Big Muddy Film Festival
