The first Indian film to be selected for the main competition at Cannes in thirty years, All We Imagine as Light opens like an urban symphony. The evening scenes of Mumbai's vibrant and crowded streets are interwoven with anonymous voices sharing similar stories about the struggles of people facing hardships in their quest to survive in Mumbai, yet unable to leave and break away from what they call home. Soon, we realise this is not a documentary. At the heart of the film are three nurses, each from a different generation, working in the same hospital. It’s been a year since Prabha last heard from her husband, who left for Germany to work. Her roommate Anu has a secret affair with a Muslim man, despite knowing her family would disapprove. Meanwhile, Parvaty faces the threat of eviction from her house after her husband’s death.

Following her acclaimed debut film A Night of Knowing Nothing, a formal and creative documentary, Payal Kapadia presents a moving story of female solidarity in All We Imagine as Light. The film is rich with details of daily life—a pregnant cat, a bright red rice cooker sent from abroad, the neon lights of a tea garden—that transform into small miracles, providing courage and hope to these three women.

Cannes 2024

Grand Prix