Water

The third film in her Elemental Trilogy - FIRE and EARTH precede it - WATER is set against the epic backdrop of the River Ganges during Gandhi’s rise to prominence. Chuyia is an eight-year-old child bride whose husband suddenly passes away. According to custom, her head is shaved and she is taken to an ashram for Hindu widows where she is expected to atone for the sins of her past that resulted in the death of her husband. It is a virtual exile, with no hope of escape. The ashram is full of other widows, old and young, all with their own stories, hopes and fears. The indefatigable Chuyia is left to navigate this world and learn its lessons. Her refusal to bend to her plight carries considerable emotive power and elevates WATER from a harsh tale of deprivation into one of hope and the possibility of overcoming. Mehta has made a film for the ages. 2005 Toronto International Film Festival