Jharia, India, one of the most dangerous places on earth. Fires rage underground, smoke and dangerous fumes belch from cracks in the ground. This is the home of Anant, an 8 year old boy who scrapes a living picking coal and selling it at the local markets to try and feed himself and his sick mother. One day, a chance encounter changes Anant's life, forever. This is a coming of age drama that casts a spotlight on a humanitarian disaster area and gives us a chance to see the world through the eyes of one of India's many child labourers.
Cinematography
Hellish orange glow from actual underground fires.
Direction
Mehanović spent years documenting Jharia before filming.
Acting
Suraj Mondal never acted before — lived this reality.
Director
Samir Mehanović
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jharia's underground coal fires have burned since 1916 and may continue for centuries, displacing thousands.
Director Samir Mehanović fled Bosnia's war as a refugee; this is his second film about displaced people surviving impossible landscapes.
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