International sales agency Lightdox has acquired documentary “Marching in the Dark” in advance of its world premiere at CPH:DOX. The feature debut from Kinshuk Surjan focuses on how the growing number of suicides among farmers in India is affecting the agricultural community. The trailer debuts exclusively on Variety below.
“Marching in the Dark” screens as part of the festival’s new Human:Rights competition section. Surjan and two people who feature in the film, Sanjivani Bhure and Dr. Milind Potdar, will attend the premiere.
The storyline of the film takes place over a number of years amidst India’s deepening farmer suicide crisis, and focuses on the journey of a young widow, Sanjivani, with two children to care for, after her husband is gone. Her community practices a cultural tradition of socially distancing widows, but Sanjivani unexpectedly finds healing when a mental health experiment instead brings widows together.
“Marching in the Dark” was filmed in Maharashtra, India, which has the highest rate of farmer-suicides in India’s agricultural sector. Between 2009 and 2016, more than 23,000 farmers in Maharashtra committed suicide. Between 2014 and 2022, there were 30 farmer suicides a day on average.
“Marching in the Dark” is produced by Evelien de Graef and Hanne Phlypo at Clin d’Oeil Films. It is co-produced by Digna Sinke at SNG Film and Arya Rothe at NoCut Film Collective.
Bojana Maric, head of sales and acquisitions for Lightdox, said: “In India where half of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, the suicide rate among the farmers is on the rise. With patience and tenderness, Surjan centers on those left behind, a young woman and a mother of two, Sanjivani, who secretly joins the local support group, and with solidarity and by helping other grieving widows, walks the path of empowerment.”