Before The Feast

Short Synopsys
In the wetlands of Cochin, India, Vincent, an elderly farmer, and his wife Vincy, the last cultivator of the rare Pokkali rice, strive to protect their salt-resistant seeds from the fury of rising waters. As aging takes its toll, will their legacy survive?

 

Statement of intent

In the estuarine wetlands of Cochin, Kerala, the Ramsar site, a UNESCO World Heritage area, preserves an ancient agricultural system that quietly endures.

When catastrophic floods struck Kerala in 2018, the wetlands remained untouched—protected by Pokkali farming, a rare below-sea-level system that thrives in saltwater. Vincent and Vincy, among its last practitioners, embody resilience in a rapidly changing world.

As a filmmaker based in Cochin, I aim to bring to the screen a vérité documentary centered on characters who embody a story of survival, adaptation, and Indigenous wisdom.

I am looking for collaborators to join me on this journey.

Direction

Rajani Mani

Bangalore / India

Format

Feature-length documentary

90 min

In Production

Production

Elephant Corridor Films Llp.

Total budget :

348.440 €

Financing confirmed :

103.015 €

Contacts : 

Elephant Corridor Films Llp.

rajanimani@elephantcorridorfilms.com

+919880947284

The Author :

Rajani Mani is an Indian documentary filmmaker and producer.

Filmography :

Colonies in Conflict (2022) – (1 x 74, 1 x 52) Distributor: ZDF Studios GmbH

Miles To Go (2004) – Greenpeace India, Elephant Corridor Films

In God’s Own Country (2002) – Elephant Corridor Films

 

The Production Company

Elephant Corridor Films is a women-led media company based in Bangalore, India, specializing in documentaries that spotlight urgent social and environmental stories through our unique feminist lens. Our films have been broadcast on Al Jazeera, Doordarshan, FTV Prima Spol, and ARTE.

https://www.elephantcorridorfilms.com/