In the norternmost
parts of India, fairytale tradition still lives on, and Hazarika has filmed
some of those folk tales as a commentary on today’s situation for some girls in
the area. While the stories ranges from weird to gruesome, the symbolism is somewhat
lost on this troper. What does a vegetable (in which there apperently is an
albino baby) following a woman around mean? Is the tale where a girl is married
off to a python, believed to be an angel in disguise, an allegory on how
marrige consumes everything?
The four folktales
are told intertwined, which is a nice move, and done quite well. The evil
stepmom is Carrie’s mum caliber nasty, and the burial of the firstborn is a
ritual that still goes on in some places in India.
Sadly, the
production doesn’t really hold water. The acting is subpar, the special effects
unintentionally laughable and whomever was in charge of audio should be sent
back to school.
Passed the Bechdel
test
3 sticks of 6
https://festival.giff.se/events/the-river-of-fables
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4577388/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_1
