Udi Aloni

Once described by Gandhi as a pillar of light in a region lost in darkness, Kashmir has become a land of terror and despair, characterized by constant raids, human rights violations, and a soldier-to-civilian ratio of 1:10-the highest in the world. And yet years of militant protests and revolts ended in 2007 when former guerrilla leader Yasin Malik emerged from a coma-inflicted while fleeing from authorities-to adopt a practice of non-violent resistance. As meditative as it is informative, this passionate documentary by Palestinian Jewish filmmaker Udi Aloni profiles Malik and other dedicated activists as they lead a new generation of Kashmiri in a struggle for peace and independence. Like Malik, the film aims to revive the Kashmiri tradition of religious and ethnic co-existence. It has already raised the ire of the Indian government, which banned Aloni from re-entering Kashmir after the film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February.