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Water

Director Deepa Mehta
Year 2005
Run Time 117min
Genre Drama
Set in India during the rise of Mahatma Gandhi, Water recounts the story of Chuyia (Kariyawasam), a child bride. When her husband dies suddenly, Chuyia is forced to live in an ashram for Hindu widows, essentially cut off from society.

Fortunately, she finds friends in the beautiful Kilyani (Ray) and in the forward-thinking Narayan (Abraham). With their help, Chuyia attempts to escape the confines of her existence. Boasting lush visuals, Water could easily be a bleak story of deprivation and loss, but in Mehta’s gentle hands, it becomes one charged with hope and optimism.

Water was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Director

Deepa Mehta

A member of the Order of Canada, Mehta is an award-winning filmmaker who gained acclaim for her trilogy, Fire, Earth and the Oscar-nominated Water. Her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children was nominated for eight CSAs. She has also directed Bollywood/Hollywood, Beeba Boys, Anatomy of Violence, and many other films. Her film Funny Boy won multiple awards, including the CSAs for best direction and best screenplay. Her television credits include episodes of Leila, Yellowjackets, and Little America.

Writer

Deepa Mehta

Cast

Sarala Kariyawasam, Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas

Producers

David Hamilton, Mark Burton, Ajay Virmani, Doug Mankoff

Genre

Drama

Interests

Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, History, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

Other Language

Language Versions

EN Subtitles, FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

Mongrel Media