Hyde Park Pick: All We Imagine as Light

Primarily focusing on the older, and slightly world-weary Prabha and her younger, more impetuous roommate and colleague Anu, this is a film about the complex lives of women at different stages, each grappling with different needs or pulls to the soul.

The film begins with two main narrative threads; the arrival of a mystery gift for Prabha, presumably from her long-estranged and absent husband, and Anu’s attempts to find a private space to spend time with her new love interest.

The story itself is nuanced in its representation of women as they work to navigate a range of social and religious rules alongside the many pressures universally placed on women the world over to fit certain structures and perform certain roles in our society. What I love about All We Imagine is Light is how it subtly speaks to the wants of its characters, the women it centres. Watching Prabha, Anu and their colleague Parvaty as they push against the rules and put form to their needs.

Beyond the central storytelling and the performances, the film is elevated further by its formal construction. The beautiful cinematography by relative newcomer Ranabir Das captures both central Mumbai and Parvaty’s coastal village with beautiful light and a romantic warmth that is enhanced by the rich jazz score featuring the music of famed Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou. The blending of these different elements results in a film which feels deeply satisfyingly cinematic and a pleasure to watch even when grappling with moments of frustration and longing. 

All We Imagine as Light is showing at HPPH from Fri 29 Nov. You can book tickets here.