SGS Film Festival: Aamis

Aamis Q&A discussion with director Bhaskar Hazarika

The CSA selection for the SGS theme of Food was the Assamese film Aamis, which centers around the relationship between a married woman and a younger male PhD student. Restrained by societal mores and restrictions on physicality, the couple spend time together sharing a passion for eating meat dishes. The film culminates in a terrible crime, driven by the couple’s desire to satisfy their cravings. We were fortunate to have the movie’s director, Bhaskar Hazarika, join Stanford Professor Usha Iyer on Instagram Live for Q&A about the film.

During the Q&A, viewers asked about vegetarianism in India, the taboo on extramarital relationships, feminist readings of the film, and the movie’s commentary on class, caste, and gender in Indian/Assamese society. Young and aspiring film makers also asked about the future of independent films, especially in an age of streaming.

Hazarika shared with us his intention to have his next movie be an adaptation of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. You can follow him on Instagram at @stranger.in.time

The above photo is of Usha Iyer and Bhaskar Hazarika.

View the recording on Instagram @csastanford