Char… The No-Man’s Island
Director: Sourav Sarangi
Country: India
Language: Bengali, Hindi
Duration: 88 minutes
Year: 2012
Char… The No-Man’s Island crafts a deeply intimate portrait of Rubel, a young teenaged boy whose struggle for survival and desire for education collide with the harsh economic and political realities of growing up on a disputed stretch of land, where the rhythms of daily life are constantly shaped by uncertainty. The film is set in Char, a fragile and barren island that acts as the international border between India and Bangladesh and is patrolled by security forces from both nations. This is where Rubel’s family settled down along with a herd of homeless people, years after their home was eroded by the same river. Desirous of going to his old school in India, but compelled to instead smuggle rice along the Ganga from one nation to another, Rubel’s daily journey reveals how borders determine access to opportunity, the preservation of dignity, and the shape of a young person’s future. Through its restrained observational approach, the film does more than recount Rubel’s experiences. It allows the viewer to inhabit the rhythms of his daily life, witnessing both the vulnerability and determination that define his world. Char… The No-Man’s Island won several accolades, including the Golden Kapok Award for Best Direction at Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival in China, 2012, the Best Documentary Award at ChopShots Documentary Film Festival in Indonesia, 2012, and the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) for Best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film at the National Film Awards, India, 2013.
About the Director
Sourav Sarangi
After graduating from the Presidency College, Kolkata, Sourav Sarangi joined the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune specializing in editing. His debut film Tusukatha received accolades from many leading international film festivals. Since then, he has been editing, writing, directing and producing in both fiction and nonfiction genres. He has worked as the chief editor in an Indo-Italian co-production in Rome and Naples. Sourav has also extensively worked in private television channels in India as chief programming director, during which time he supported and executed a number of productions on popular entertainment as well as social issue films which are still considered important works in the regional television industry. Sourav has served as jury in international film festivals. His award-winning documentary titled Bilal travelled to over fifty international festivals, winning eighteen top awards. His film Char…The No Man’s Island has been similarly winning accolades from around the world, and was selected in the prestigious Berlinale 2013 under the Forum section.
Meet the Director!
Sourav Sarangi is visiting the festival on 20 March 2026!