Boatman

A quiet, contemplative drift down a sacred river, watching ordinary rituals of work, prayer and mourning with patient, unhurried attention.

Directed by

Gianfranco Rosi

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Gopal Maji

Overview

In a series of small portraits, Gianfranco Rosi depicts life on and along the banks of the Ganges River. The director’s first film documents the boat trip he took along India’s sacred river with his helmsman, Gopal. They pass tourists and locals, witnessing them bathe, work, or meditate. The film captures the imagination of the endless circle of life and death, which is rooted in the lives of the Indian people, and is convincingly manifested in the way they bid farewell to the dead.

How it feels

Melancholic, earnest and warm. Slow-burning and needs your attention.

About

Death, faith, isolation, nature

Content

Mild gore. No violence, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)