The Pakistani government bans Basant, the festival of kites. There are protest mobilizations and mass incarcerations. Lahore is shrouded in sad silence. However, some defy the law, kites in hand.
The paper kites spin madly, painting the sky of Lahore (Pakistan) with colors, days before the arrival of spring. After the ground, the city boils. Thousands of people passionately prepare the Basat, the most deeply rooted popular festival.
But not everyone loves the party. In a conflicting political situation, some influential voices of Islam are calling out against the flying of kites, a thousand-year-old custom that they consider wild, anti-Islamic and anti-national. The government accedes to the prohibitionist pressure and threatens to apply the anti-terrorist law to all those who fly kites. There are protest mobilizations and mass incarcerations. The city falls into a sad silence. Some, however, defy the law, kites in hand.
A true story, but hard to believe.
Data sheet
Title: Basant
Direction: Andrés Antebi, José Gonzales Morandi, Pablo González and Eva Serrats
Screenplay: Andrés Antebi and Pablo González
Edition: Sergi Dies, José Gonzales Morandi and Eva Serrats
Production: OVQ and FOTOLEVE production company
Year: 2008