As "To Kill A Tiger" (2022 release from India; 127 min) opens, we are introduced to Ranjit, a father living with his family in remote Jharkhand, India. We learn that his 13 yo daughter was raped by 3 young men, and at his daughter's urging, he decides to file a law suit against the 3 men. This leads to major tensions within the village... At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.
Couple of comments: the horrible events took place in 2017, and then the film makers team up with the family and with a local women's rights nonprofit. This was filmed over a long, long time as the case worked itself through the Indian legal system. More importantly, we get great insight as to how the remote village where this happened reacts. Let's just say that this does not go well, and I'm being mild. I found myself astonished, if not infuriated, how the villagers act in all this, literally as if it is the 13 yo's fault for being raped. There are no words. Aside from the moral outrage, we get a true picture of what life in rural India is really like on a day-to-day basis. People living on scraps of food, and not knowing how they'll get by a week or a month from now. The MAGA extremists who can't stop whining and complaining on a daily basis how terrible life has become in the US should take a look at this movie, and then drop to their knees and thank their lucky stars they live here and how privileged they are to live here. All that aside, kudos to the 13 yo girl for her (and her parents') bravery to stand up, despite all of the pressures and barriers.
"To Kill A Tiger" premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival but it didn't get shown in the US until the summer of 2023, reason why it wasn't eligible for Best Documentary Oscar consideration until this most recently cycle. Indeed it was nominated. It's currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. "To Kill A Tiger" is now streaming on Netflix, where I caught it last night. If you have any interest what life in rural India is like, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
