By the River backdrop

By the River 2021 Directed by Dan Braga Ulvestad

A virtual pilgrimage to India's "death hotels" directed by Dan Braga Ulvestad

Varanasi is the Indian city where Hindus go to die. Stretching along the Ganges, Varanasi holds great spiritual significance because Hindu scriptutres say that anyone who dies there will attain moksha—liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Berlin-based director Dan Braga Ulvestad captures life and death in India’s heartland in this moving documentary filled with exquisite cinematic moments. By the River starts its narrative journey with the city’s “death hotels,” dedicated apartments where people wait to die, sometimes for decades, so they can be cremated on the banks of the Ganges.

Countries Australia , USA
Production Country India
Language English
Spoken Language Hindi
Gnere Documentary
Production Companies Nowness , Heckler , ShotReady Productions
Release Date 11 March 2021
25 mins