The Sound of Old Rooms Trailer (2012)

Sandeep Ray's exquisite documentary, filmed over 20 years, traces the life of Sarthak, an Indian man who juggles his desire to be a poet with the practicalities of raising a family. As a college student he had time to drink with friends and discuss his writings; now with work commitments, he struggles to continue his dream. The crumbling home where he was raised and still lives with his nagging but affectionate mother, wife and young son is extremely cramped; he sleeps, as he has since a child, surrounded by books. Sarthak leads us through Kolkata's bars, apartments and alleyways as he tries to understand life and find meaning in his work. Director Ray says, "I don't operate out of nostalgia but out of immediacy of things. If anything the film is nostalgia for the present."