Screened as part of NZIFF 2004
A Nation Without Women 2003
Matrubhoomi
“In his debut feature Manish Jha presents a harrowing fairy tale of the future of rural India where, due to the prevalence of female infanticide, women are now almost eradicated. In this scary new world men play every role in society and have become unstable and debased of their humanity. A rich landlord has five sons but cannot find a wife for any of them. Finally a girl is discovered, her father sells her into marriage with all five sons reducing her to a sexual slave and menial domestic… Satirical in the extreme, this film highlights the abuse of women by men – of course, an issue not limited to India – and how ultimately this violence destroys the men who perpetrate it.” — Cary Rajinder Sawhney, London Film Festival
“One of the most startling debut features to emerge from India in recent memory… Jha’s debut conjures up memories of Shekhar Kapur’s groundbreaking Bandit Queen – and it is easily as intense.” — Steve Gravestock, Toronto International Film Festival