Little Terrorist
Director: Ashvin Kumar
Producer: Ashvin Kumar
Short, 15 mins
A ten-year-old Pakistani Muslim wanders across the border into India. As Indian soldiers search for the “terrorist” they believe has crossed in, the boy finds an unlikely ally in a Hindu Brahmin.
This Oscar-nominated short from Ashvin Kumar was the first short film ever to gain a commercial release in India.
As well as all sound editing, we carried out the location recording for this challenging but immensely rewarding shoot. This included setting up an on-site virtual studio on the shoot to record a Laangar troupe for the authentic Rajasthani soundtrack. The Laangar troupe also appear in the film as wandering minstrels!
On the border between Pakistan and India, a young boy is playing cricket. The ball sails past the barbed wire, and young Jamal trots after it. The Indian border guard, too far away to identify him as a child, open fire, and Jamal flees further into India. He meets a Hindu Brahmin, who takes him in as the Indian Army search for the “terrorist” who crossed the border. But the Brahmin’s family are harder to persuade, and the tensions between Muslim and Hindu threaten to shatter the universal humanity which alone can save the boy’s life.
Awards
Nominee, Best Short Film, Academy Awards
Winner, Grand Prize, Manhattan Short Film Festival
Winner, Grand Prize, Tehran International Film Festival
Winner, Best Short Film, European Film Awards
First Prize (Short Films), Montreal World Film Festival
genuine and poignant drama – Roger Ebert