Closing Night

Sunday, November 15: 8:00 pm

In order to pay for the wedding of Vishnu to the Goddess Padmavathi, the gods’ treasurer granted a long-term loan to be paid off by future generations. Still today, Hindu believers offer money and jewels to service the centuries-old debt. The very poor, we are told, sacrifice their only possession—their hair. At an impartial remove, Brunetti and Leopardi follow the course of this hair as it is sheared in an ancient, sacred ritual, sold at auction to the highest bidder, and ends up strutting down the red carpets on top of the world’s most famous heads. Featuring Sangieta, the editor of Hello! magazine in Mumbai; Mayoor, a hair wholesaler in Bangalore; Thomas, an Italian who repackages the hair into extensions; and Hemlata and Gita, a mother and daughter who trek to Simhachalan Temple to make their offering, the documentary observes these ordinary people as they negotiate life’s pressures and problems. One part of India is sacrificing their “crowning glory” so another part can look good. By thoughtfully interweaving these various narratives, the filmmakers leave us wondering, in the end, which part is really better off.

This film is part of the Along the Modern Silk Road Series