Mumbai: Orphanage of Memories, a short film by Kashmiri film-maker Rayit Hashmat Qazi, offers a portrayal of grief and resilience amidst the stark winter landscape of Kashmir.
Written, directed, and produced by Rayit Hashmat Qazi, the film features Shafia Maqbool as Farah, and Yousuf Shahnaz as The Father.
The film is co-produced by Sumedh Natu, Amogh Deshpande, and Rohan Kapoor. The music is composed by Gaekhir Republik, with Yash Soni as the colourist and Basharat Hussain as the production designer. Additional screenplay and dialogues are written by Arshad Mushtaq.
The story follows Farah, a widow grappling with the loss of her husband under mysterious circumstances.
A still from the short film Orphanage of Memories, by Kashmiri film-maker Rayit Hashmat Qazi
Struggling to keep her home as it faces the threat of being sold, Farah clings to memories of her late husband, particularly through the saplings he had once brought home.
Determined to nurture the garden he left behind, Farah’s dedication borders on obsession, taking a toll on her mental stability as she finds herself fixated on protecting the plants, even against small disturbances like rat droppings.
The film is a protest against the mainstream portrayal of Kashmir in Indian cinema, which often highlights the scenic beauty of the region while overlooking the lives of its people.
By setting the narrative during the bleakest part of winter, just before snowfall, Qazi presents a Kashmir shrouded in cold grey tones, reflecting the inner turmoil of its people rather than its picturesque landscapes.
A still from the short film Orphanage of Memories, by Kashmiri film-maker Rayit Hashmat Qazi.
Qazi, an independent film-maker from Kashmir, uses Orphanage of Memories to explore memory as an act of resistance, responding to the erasure of Kashmir’s culture and heritage in recent years.
“As Kashmir’s history and culture face distortion, it’s crucial to protect our heritage and truth,” he said. The choice to tell this story in Kashmiri, with an entirely Kashmiri cast, was essential to Qazi’s vision.
The film aims to connect audiences with the silent suffering of countless Kashmiris who have experienced loss and hardship over decades of political unrest. The camera work mirrors this sentiment, remaining mostly stationary, only moving when Farah experiences fleeting moments of solace.
Qazi’s background includes working alongside international film-makers, and his first short film, Do Cup Chai, was recognised at film festivals like the New York Indian Film Festival.
Currently, he is developing projects for streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon.
