The circuitous path of a mountainous landscape takes the viewer into Ladakh. As a man stands before a grave, his head bowed down, the past is invoked, portraying a life of hard physical labour, water and electricity problems, the determination of a boy to leave it all behind, and the resilience of a compassionate father who encourages him on this path. 
The film is the story of Issa and his son Ali, and how the duo navigates a difficult life while refusing to give in to the hardships. There is further the attempt to embellish it with a poetic approach that invokes a metaphorical internal journey, the divine, and its intrinsic presence in the social milieu of the film, alongside the presence of local folklore and witches. 
The most notable aspect of the end result is the performance of the protagonist, supported well by the young actor in Ali, alongside a very earnest desire to invoke a sense of the past, memory, grief, and how it all ties a character back to their origins and roots.

The Pilgrimage | Spotlight

The first half of the film majorly relies on the action unfolding before you, steering clear of dialogue, to paint its world for the viewer. A man is at the heart of mysterious woods where strange creatures, all dressed in white, forbode imminent peril. As he tries to figure out this conundrum, another reality develops, one suggesting a limbo-esque region between life and death, a space that would alter his fate forever. 

The film employs the vast outdoors judiciously to share its story, evidencing potential in terms of storytelling. It further leaves the door open for more similar creative installments. As for the protagonist whose life now hangs in balance, a terrible development awaits, one from which there is no looking away.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links