Documentary | DVD
Director: Merlyn M. Bilas
Ethnicity: South Asian
Subjects: Aging, Health/Mental Health & AIDS, Relationships, Women
Abandoned by her family and neglected by her husband, Chandra, a Fijian Indian American, transforms herself from a servile girl into a woman who turns inward to an intimate relationship with God to find the strength to face the hardships she suffers. Using interviews, vérité footage and photographs, this documentary is a profile in courage as it reveals how one woman discovers the inner resources to come to terms with her life. She must decide whether or not to undergo medical treatment or let breast cancer take her from a life of unfulfilled dreams and loneliness in a bid to find “shanti,” or peace, in her remaining years.
One of the very first films about the Fijian Indian community, SHANTI also reveals the conditions that must be in place in order for women to have the freedom to make their own choices in life.