Category
Documentary
director
Maja Meiners
production
Maja Meiners
country
Germany, India
format
HD, DCP
runtime
70 min
year
2020
language
English, Tamil
subtitled_versions
English
genre
Arts & Culture, Human Rights, LGBTQ+, Music, Society, Kids & Youth
BREAKING BARRIERS - THE CASTELESS COLLECTIVE
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BREAKING BARRIERS - THE CASTELESS COLLECTIVE
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BREAKING BARRIERS - THE CASTELESS COLLECTIVE
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Synopsis

The Casteless Collective is a protest music band from Chennai, South India, playing an exciting mix of folk music and Gaana art coming from North Chennai’s slum area, combined with modern musical styles of rap and rock. Dealing with social issues that Indian society prefers not to look at: the still existing caste discrimination, the ‘untouchables’, and the oppression of women, LGBTQI+ people and those from underprivileged and marginalised backgrounds, as represented by the band members themselves.
The film shows the young band’s powerful attempt to break cultural stigmas, and joins their journey towards an Indian future of casteless mentality and reality.

Festivals

  • Chennai International Doc Short FF, India (2020)
  • Sheffield Doc/Fest, UK (2020)
  • London Indian FF, UK (2020)
  • Indo German Filmweek Berlin, Germany (2020)
  • WOMEX World Music Expo Budapest, Hungary (2020)
  • New Generation Independent Indian FF, Germany (2020)
  • Indian Film Festival Stuttgart, Germany (2021)
  • Images de Sons, Official Competition, France (2021)