Sandstorm

Running time: 125 mins

Director Jagmohan's Sandstorm is a gripping, tension-laden drama based on the true story of a rural, low-caste woman whose rape turns a chauvinistic political system topsy-turvy. Sanwari is a loving wife whose husband respects and admires her. When gang-raped by upper-caste men in her village, Sanwari is expected to hang her head in shame. Instead, Sanwari "knocks on the doors of justice" with the support of her husband and a woman lawyer. Caught in the middle of a storm created by the international media, Sanwari is soon made a pawn in the political chess game--as she is put on a pedestal by one side and thrown stones at by the other. Combining evocative imagery, realism and a fresh look at the face of Indian culture, director Jagmohan crafts a story of immeasurable courage and will. Inspired by a much-publicized case, it is a tale that gives meaning to the old adage, "The truth is stranger than fiction." --Al Owens