THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘Neer’, the directorial debut of Bhagath Suresh, received much applause at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) on Monday, reminding a famous statement by geographer Gilbert F White that “Floods are acts of God but flood losses are largely acts of man”.
The film takes you to the flood-struck Kainakari village in Alappuzha, a region facing one of the largest climate migrations in the country, where the bond between two aged women is captured with grace. The 15-minute film has portrayed how the love and care one has for a fellow being grows during old age, but familial circumstances force us to take tough stands.
The film follows two elderly women as they navigate recurring floods and displacement. Anchored by the powerful performances of actress Savithri Sreedharan (fondly known as Savithri Amma), Leena Antony and Santosh Gopinath, ‘Neer’ transforms the climate crisis into a deeply personal human story.
Bhagath Suresh, who was closely involved in relief work during the Kerala floods in 2018, said that those experiences left a lasting impression. “Being part of the relief process showed me the silent struggles people endure. This stayed with me and pushed me to explore the unspoken, emotional side of disasters,” he said.
Before its festival premiere, ‘Neer’ was also screened at international climate forums in four countries. The film has a three-part series of climate narratives with an intention to use cinema as a bridge between climate science and lived human experience. ‘Neer’ was produced by Bring Back Green Foundation with the support of Purpose Climate Labs headed by Akhilesh Anil Kumar.
The film was screened under the competition short fiction category of the IDSFFK.
The film’s visuals were shaped by writer Hari Krishnan, cinematographer Akhil Gopal P S, and editor R J Pappan, with a moving score by composer Adithya Arjun.