English Patient

There is a deep connection between the English language and the cultural and political history of the Indian sub-continent. Brought to the country by colonizers, then adopted by the Indian elite, English has become a language of power in India. In a country with more than 30 regional languages, English is one of two that has been designated “official.” This remnant of their contentious colonial past is the starting point for Spandan Banerjee’s modern exploration of what English means to India. The film takes us from the history of languages in the country to modern-day tourist towns where hopeful young tour guides discuss their language skills and their concerns of being made redundant by a new generation of electronic tools. A uniquely colourful and kaleidoscopic approach to history, English India looks at a country coming to terms with its own identity as it shakes off the weight of its colonial past. Sarafina DiFelice