Mariam (2022)

Mariam, who lives with her husband Abdul and three daughters, is in the final month of her pregnancy. The girls, who are unable to attend school due to the Covid pandemic, need at least a smartphone if not a computer to attend online classes, and they're already four months behind in rent. The only way for them to survive is to get the money for illegal surrogacy, but the baby's parents have disappeared. Mariam paints a portrait of migrant workers who move to Mumbai for a better life but are unable to escape from poverty. Alleyways just wide enough for one person to pass continue to endless steps and shacks; not even a small portion of the sky is visible through colorful flags and ladders. The film shows a family living calmly, embracing each other in the midst of endless despair. It is a recipient of the 2022 ACF post-production fund. (PARK Sun Young)