The Festival of Light
by Shundell Prasad
(New York City)
1979, Guyana, South America. The small country is under the rule of a dictator. Opportunities are rare, life is stifled, and food is short.
The Diwali Parade, marking the Hindu Festival of Light, is underway in the tiny villages of Guyana. The firecrackers are lit; the glorious motorcades are a spectacle for the eye.
Four-year-old Reshma, sings and claps her little hands, safely secured in her father, Vishnu’s, arms; completely sheltered from the social, political and economic turmoil surrounding her.
The memory of Diwali in her father’s arms is the last image of happiness for Reshma, as she and her mother, Meena, emigrate to Queens, NY, without her father, who is not allowed it accompany them due to immigration complications.
The thumping beats of Hip Hop of Queens in 1990 reveal the modern day Reshma, transformed and completely urbanized, without a trace of her youthful innocence.
Entrenched in the fast life of boys and rebellion against Meena, who has remarried a wealthy, older man, James, Reshma falls prey to her boyfriend, Justin, who rapes her on an overnight school trip. To add to Reshma’s misery, Meena, in her own frustration, beats Reshma, mercilessly, for her unruly and disrespectful actions, this culminated when Reshma got suspended from school for forging Meena’s signature for the school trip. Bruised and shattered by the torture life has inflicted on her, Reshma seeks shelter in the home of Asha’s family. The family has just migrated to Queens from Guyana, illegally.
Their gentle and nurturing ways brings peace and happiness to Reshma once again. What ensues is a beautiful love story between Reshma and Ravin, Asha’s brother.
Havoc again creeps into Reshma’s life when Meena reveals the truth about Vishnu – he’s involved with the illegal immigration black market and was thrown in jail while bringing Ravin and his family to America. Furious at Meena for trying to ruin her life, Reshma confronts Ravin, and asks him, “Tell me it’s not true, She’s Meena lying, right.” Unable to deny the fact, Ravin is defeated. Reshma is shattered, and is at her breaking point.
The culmination of disastrous events: the rape, the beating and now the news of Ravin’s family’s involvement in her father’s demise and their betrayal lands her in the hospital in a panic attack.
In her unconscious state, her tiny body lays motionless on the stark white hospital bed while the images of her father at the Diwali parade from her childhood surface. He Vishnu asks her, “Reshma bachcha (my child) where have you been?” She replies, “I’m here. Why did you leave me?” Returning to consciousness, Reshma comes to a realization and is now determined to find and free her father, however difficult it will be.
Guyana 1991. Georgetown is buzzing under the Hoyte regime; in a sea of African faces, emerges an Indian girl, Reshma. Armed with a single photo of her father from 13 years prior and sheer determination, she begins her journey into the Guyanese prison system.
In no time the realities of a male dominated system threaten to derail her mission. On a return journey to revisit her childhood village, a surprise visit by Ravin, reassures her of his compassion. With Ravin by her side, Reshma begins her voyage into the interior Amazon Rainforest, to Mazaruni Prison, the reported location of her father in the middle of the lush, swampy rainforest sits the tall imposing prison building. Tired and exhausted from her journey, Reshma is heartbroken when the Warden informs her that her father is in isolation, making it impossible for her to reunite with him.
Defeated, she returns to Georgetown, leaving the rainforest and her father behind. Unbeknownst to her, word has already gotten to Vishnu of his daughter’s presence in Guyana. As Reshma, reluctantly readies her belongings to return to America, Vishnu is desperately and feverishly attempting a prison breakout. After an entire night of slogging in and scaling the anaconda-ridden jungle, Vishnu manages to get to the airport, just in time to see Reshma’s plane depart. He’s lost her once again.
Deeply saddened by her failure to reunite with her father, Reshma gives her life and hand in marriage to Ravin, the man who has loved her and supported her throughout her voyage. In the middle of the marriage rituals, fate has spun a different story. In-between the Sanskrit verses, from a distant, Reshma feels a cool breeze. She interrupts her marriage proceedings and walks to the source of it. She becomes motionless when faced with the image of her father, 14 years later.
But, her euphoria and dreams come to a halt at the sight of the police and an FBI officer behind her father. Before she can react, they drag Vishnu, an illegal immigrant and prison escapee, away from her grasp. She runs; the payal (musical feet ornaments) and heavy wedding sari jingles as she sprints after the police car that’s carried her father away.
With rage fueling her, she returns to her shattered wedding and has a final confrontation with her stepfather, James, who admits to calling the FBI on Vishnu, thus safeguarding his relationship with Meena. In a moment of revelation, Meena turns her back on James and brings Reshma and Ravin, hand in hand, to the wedding Mandup (alter) to complete their rituals.
In the end, Reshma and Ravin return to Guyana and by 1993, democracy has been restored to the tiny nation country, and Vishnu, now a free man, welcomes his daughter and new son-in-law into his life, thus restoring the balance of life once again.
Shooting Schedule
The Festival of Light will be shot in Queens, NY for approximately 20 days and 6 days in Guyana (South America); a total of 26 days of production. The film will be shot on the latest digital technology, the Red One camera, giving it a vibrant, colorful texture, full of richness. Recent Films shot on the Red One Camera include: “Che”(Benecio Del Torro) Directed by Oliver Stone, “Angels & Demons” (Tom Hanks) Directed by Ron Howard, “Star Trek” (Eric Bana) Directed by J.J. Abrams, “Slum Dog Millionaire” (Dev Patel & Frida Pinto) Directed by Danny Boyle.
Casting
The scenes take place in “RESHMAS” home, new home, High school, streets, Guyana home, NYU campus, Law Office, after-school diner, Mandir, Queens park, NYC subway, Hospital, Amusement park, local Hotel / Motel, fast-food location and backyard. The stars attached to this project will be Melinda Shankar of the hit T.V. Show, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Degrassi Goes Hollywood, and “How to be Indie”. Melinda is a promising star with big Indie credibility. Shankar is currently a series regular in the 8th season of Degrassi: The Next Generation. She stars as Alli Bhandari. She is also the lead role as “Indie” in the upcoming television series How to be Indie, which is scheduled to premiere in fall 2009 on YTV.
“The Festival of Light” will be a commercial Feature Film, non-documentary. We Have secured actor Larry Holden who appeared in Christopher Nolan's third film, "Insomnia" (he was in Nolan's second film, "Memento," as well). Spent a year traveling around the world, and then moved back "home" to Ireland in February 2003, where his production company, Holden Automotive, now keeps its home office. Continues to bounce around the globe, though, trying to make films wherever he goes. We are still in talks with several well-known actors both in North America and India.
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