How 'You' imagine light?

Image from 'All We Imagine Light'

‘All We Imagine Light’ is a film that lingers in your mind long after you’ve seen it. You are searching for your own ‘home’ like film’s characters metaphorically. 

The film can be easily called ‘All we imagined home’ but why the director wants us to imagine light along with her characters? What’s their relation to light and darkness, and our relation to light and darkness as well. The title doesn’t say what They imagined light but ‘what WE imagined as light’. From the title itself audience is also starting to interacting with the characters and finally writer -director Payal Kapadia. 

‘All We Imagine Light’ is an important film that paves the way for storytelling that is both personal and universal. Its characters are highly relatable, and you often encounter them in trains, rickshaws, or on the streets, yet you don’t get to see their inner worlds and dreams—because that aspect never crosses your mind. We talk to them but at the superficial level. 

The film breaks away from conventional story structures, providing hope to indie writers and directors that such narratives can also attract producers if you play your cards right and approach the right people at the right time. But first we need to have meat in the story. 

While watching the film, I felt both claustrophobic and liberated, in sync with two different visual style, colors, shot design, locations and even editing rhthym. 

Despite borrowing numerous elements from various films around the world, it still maintains its identity as an Indian film. The film carry forward signature of Payal Kapadiya‘s work with its use of circular storytelling, shot design, colors, music and ofcourse treatment. Do see her others works, Documentary-A night of knowing nothing, Afternoon Clouds and other short films. 

I’m glad that it is distributed by none other than Rana Daggubati, the ‘Baahubali’ of the Indian entertainment industry. Hope it creates new paths for Indie directors and producers. 

Detailed Review on the way....