AFTER PRAYERS
Simone Mestroni | India, Italy 2018 | 61 Min. | OmeU
In Kashmir, the embattled border region between Pakistan, China and India, ongoing brutal riots claim hundreds of victims each year. Taking place in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, “After Prayers” tells about the people’s everyday life of which both violence and the call to prayer of the muezzin are a part of. It is precisely after Friday prayers when political tensions frequently occur. With his film debut Simone Mestroni created a remarkable snapshot of a forgotten conflict.
Producer, director and cinematographer: Simone Mestroni
Editing: Donatello Conti
Sound: Francesco Morosini
Production Company: Rizoma Film
Screenings
Co-world premiere: 16/11 2018 – Society for Visual Anthropology Film Festival and Rome Independent Film Festival
Athens Ethnographic Film Festival, 24/11/2018
Sheffield Doc/Fest, 12/06/2018 (Doc/Player Selection)
Peloponnisos Int.Doc.Fest, 19/01/2019
Days of Ethnographic Film Ljubjana, 07/03/2019
RAI Film Festival, 01/04/2019
Festival videolibrary Ethnografilm, 16/04/2019
Biography
Simone Mestroni has developed visual storytelling skills along with his fieldwork research on ethnographic aspects of Kashmiri conflict. While completing his PhD in anthropology he has been working as video operator and as fixer for photographers. Simone’s ethnographic book on Kashmir “Lines of Control” (Meltemi 2018) is presently used as textbook for anthropology courses in three Italian universities. In October 2017 his first documentary “After Prayers” has been awarded with the Wenner Gren foundation postdoctoral grant.
