Synopsis

On French National Day, (in Pondicherry India) both Indian and French flags are hoisted, the two national anthems are sung and tributes are paid to Indian soldiers who fought for France. At such moments, the duality in Tamil French people’s mind is palpable as the community has no voting rights in India: their ‘motherland’. As France tightens its immigration laws, its interest lies in nuclear and defense ties with India. Feeling ignored, the Tamil French strive for resilience to be heard. The colonial history, anxieties and dreams of the community will find voice during the upcoming French Presidential Elections. A time, when they can have a voice in the democracy of their ‘homeland.’

Director

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  Pankaj Rishi Kumar
  

  After graduating from the FTII Pune (India), in 1992, with a specialisation in Film Editing, Pankaj was assistant editor on Sekhar Kapur's ‘Bandit Queen’. In 1999, he made his first film - KUMAR TALKIES - and subsequently, he has become a one man crew: producing, directing, shooting and editing his own films. (Pather Chujaeri, The Vote, Gharat, 3 Men and a Bulb, Punches n Ponytails, Seeds of Dissent, In God’s Land). His films have been screened at film festivals all over the world. He has won grants from Hubert Bals, IFA, Jan Vrijman, DMZ/AND (Korea), Gotoberg, Banff, Majlis, Sarai and Pad.ma. Pankaj was awarded an Asia Society fellowship at Harvard Asia Centre (2003). He is alumni of Asian Film Academy (Pusan, 2006) and Berlin Talents (2016).