Stretching along the river Ganges rests Varanasi, the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities, where devout Hindus go to die in hopes of achieving moksha—liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Several so-called ‘death hotels’ exist to accommodate believers who abandon their lives and come here to wait for death, some for as long as 40 years.
An Indo-Australian production, Shotready led the research and production of the shoot in India. We spent over a month interacting with the people of Varanasi to understand their stories and connection to the city, which shaped the storyline of the film. Our role included casting, securing locations, permits, and communicating with the overseas crew. Shot over seven days in May 2019 with an Indian and Australian crew, the film has been selected for several festivals and has won awards for cinematography, editing, and sound design. It was broadcast on ABC-Australia in March 2020.