Sanjivani, a young widow in rural India, grapples with devastating loss after her husband, a farmer who succumbed to the pressures of rising costs, unyielding crop failures, and volatile market prices, and committed suicide – one of thousands each year in India’s agriculture sectors.

Now absorbed into her brother-in-law’s family, Sanjivani and her two children struggle to be seen and respected. Among her myriad of responsibilities, including homemaker, mother and farm-worker for her brother-in-law, Sanjivani’s efforts to regain self-determination and a semblance of control over her life are compounded by the traditional social stigmas and dogmas attached to widowhood in her community.

When Sanjivani cautiously joins a local support group for widows-only, despite having to fabricate excuses to her brother-in-law to explain her absence, she unexpectedly embarks upon a transformative journey of discovery with the other women as they share their grief with each other.

Initially cautious and reserved, Sanjivani is slowly drawn in to the healing power of community; her own grief beginning to heal as she focuses on the others instead of herself. When she summons the courage to unveil her own story, Sanjivani finds inspiration in their shared resilience and the empowerment forged from their common experiences.

Each day, throughout the region, farmer suicides continue to create more farmer- widows – the ever-growing protests and demonstrations doing little to stem the political tide at the core of India’s human and agricultural crisis. Can Sanjivani’s newly-found voice shift adversity into opportunity? Are solidarity and friendships enough to quietly fuel a mental-health revolution?

Dir. Kinshuk Surjan | 108min | 2024 | Netherlands

"Shot in Maharashtra, the state with the highest rate of farmer suicides in India, Kinshuk Surjan’s documentary sensitively captures another tragedy that lingers after death: left behind by their dead husbands, generations of grieving widows struggle to find their way in a society still burdened by patriarchal values" - Guardian

"A powerful and compelling film about solidarity between sisters" - Special Mention, Human Rights Award, CPH:DOX

“a moving testament to the unheard voices of so many women, and a tribute to their resilience and spirit" - Hindustan Times

"This painfully vital documentary is a stirring declaration that demands we listen to their stories with the generosity they deserve.” - High on Films

"Surjan treats the filmmaking process not only as a means of crafting a socially pertinent story but also as a vessel to affect change while the camera is still rolling" - Modern Times Review