VIFF 2025 - Secrets of a Mountain Serpent

Set in a remote Himalayan town in India during the Kargil War, Secrets of a Mountain Serpent is a haunting tale where absence and silence set the rhythm of daily life. When a mysterious outsider arrives in the village, his presence stirs buried feelings among its women — including Barkha, a school teacher whose husband is stationed at the border. Director Nidhi Saxena’s film weaves together personal desire with ancient folklore in the form of a serpent that lives in the forbidden river, still waiting after a thousand years for a love left unfulfilled.

A meditation on desire, duty, memory, and freedom, Saxena’s film blurs myth and reality. Each frame is composed with lyrical restraint, and sound design is used to deepen the film’s mythical elements. Pointing her camera away from the frontlines of war, Saxena focuses on those who were left behind, and in doing so asks a pertinent question: Can you belong to someone and still belong to yourself?

You may also like the following events from Avishkar Arts:

• This November, 2nd November, 02:00 pm, Marathi Natak- Thet Tumchya Gharatun in New Westminster

Also check out other Entertainment events in Vancouver, Health & Wellness events in Vancouver.