Payal Kapadia’s Cannes-Winning All We Imagine As Light Trailer Is All About Love, Identity And Chaos

The trailer for Payal Kapadia’s film, All We Imagine As Light, was released on October 10, creating a buzz ahead of its grand nationwide release in November. After making history as the first Indian filmmaker to win the coveted Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Kapadia’s award-winning work continues to gain momentum.

Released on limited screens in Kerala on September 21, the film takes audiences on an emotional journey alongside two Kerala nurses navigating life in Mumbai. The 1.58 minute trailer offers a glimpse into their story of resilience, identity exploration and the lessons of love and self-acceptance.

Starring Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, All We Imagine As Light introduces viewers to their characters, Prabha and Anu, showcasing their acting prowess. The trailer begins with Prabha receiving an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, who is said to be living in Germany. However, Prabha hasn’t spoken to him in a year, and the video reveals glimpses of their explorations of what life is meant to be.

“How could you marry a total stranger?" asks Prabha’s younger roommate, Anu, who has a boyfriend in the city. “I don’t think I could," Anu adds, as the trailer navigates through the couple’s intimate moments in the crowded corners of Mumbai. However, Anu also faces challenges in her life, as her parents want her to marry someone else. The various voices, combined with the visuals, provide an enthralling experience that piques our curiosity about the film. A voiceover can be heard stating, “Some people call this the city of dreams. I think this is a city of illusions. You have to believe the illusion, or else you will go mad."

Finally, the two nurses, along with Chhaya Kadam’s character, head to a beach town, where they find a space to breathe and be themselves. An excerpt from the caption accompanying the trailer reads, “Kapadia captures the bustle of the metropolis and the open-air tranquillity of a seaside village with equal radiance, articulated by her superb actresses and the camera with a lyrical naturalism that occasionally drifts into dreamlike incandescence. All We Imagine as Light is a soulful study of the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood, in all its complexities and richness."

Watch the trailer here:

All We Imagine As Light became the first Indian film in three decades to premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The Malayalam-Hindi film will also be the opening film of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024. Actor Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media is behind the film’s distribution in India. It is co-produced by Chalk and Cheese Films and Another Birth from India alongside Petit Chaos from France.