Best of the Fest Screening: “A Suitable Girl” at Southampton Arts Center

Directed by Sarita Khurana & Smriti Mundhra

(India/USA | 2017 | 94 min.)

Friday, March 16 | 6 PM | $10

* World Premiere in the World Documentary Competition at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival
** Winner of the Albert Maysles Best New Documentary Director Award

A Suitable Girl follows three young women in India struggling to maintain their identities and follow their dreams amid intense pressure to get married. Ritu, Dipti and Amrita represent the new India. Educated, financially stable and raised with a mix of traditional and contemporary values in the urban cities of Mumbai and New Delhi, they have access to the world in ways their mothers did not. Yet their lives take a dramatic turn when the pressure to settle down and get married hits. Career aspirations become secondary to the pursuit of a husband, and the women struggle with the prospect of leaving their homes and families to become part of another.

Documenting the arranged marriage and matchmaking process in vérité over four years, the film examines the women’s complex relationships with the institution of marriage, the many nuanced ways society molds them into traditional roles, and a rarely-seen portrait of India’s urban middle class.

“Dine & Discuss” – Continue the Conversation! After each Friday night film, a local restaurant will host a communal table to allow attendees to discuss the film over dinner. Special discounts and/or a pre-fixe menu will be available. Check back for the list of participating restaurants.