Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress.

Anand’s (Bhushaan Manoj) grief over losing his father is compounded by having to return to his ancestral home with his mother, and the inevitable questions from extended family about his marital status. Wholly original in depicting queer life among the rural and lower castes of India, writer and director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade in his debut feature shares this semi-autobiographical story of two men who find each other amid their shared origins in the farming life of their elders. Featuring impressive turns from the cast, beautiful cinematography in open landscapes and small villages, and gentle, open-hearted storytelling that skews predictable tropes, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) is an achievement of independent Indian filmmaking with characters and a story that will connect with audiences around the world.—Sudeep Sharma

Available in person. Also available online for the public (January 30–February 2) and credentialed press and industry (January 29–February 2).

This film contains mature content, and is not recommended for audiences 17 and under.