SISTERS OF THE TREES

By Camila MENENDEZ, Lucas PEÑAFORT

SINTAGMACINE - as PROD / FIN

Social issues - Completed 2019

The story of a village in Rajasthan, India, where the people plants 111 trees to celebrate the birth of every baby girl. Looking after the tree, the girls and the water, they create awareness and empower their women.

Festivals
& Awards

FILMBAZAAR INDIA 2018
SELECCION ESPECIAL DEL JURADO
MDoc 2019
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
DocsMX 2019
MUJERES EN FOCO
FIDBA 2019
PREMIO ADF MEJOR FOTOGRAFIA
LA MUJER Y EL CINE 2019
COMPETENCIA OFICIAL
Festiver 2019
MEJOR DOCUMENTAL INTERNACIONAL
FICMA 2019
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
    • Year of production
    • 2019
    • Genres
    • Social issues, Environmental, Documentary
    • Countries
    • ARGENTINA, INDIA
    • Languages
    • HINDI, ENGLISH
    • Budget
    • 0.3 - 0.6 M$
    • Duration
    • 86 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Camila MENENDEZ, Lucas PEÑAFORT
    • Producer(s)
    • Victoria CHALES
    • Synopsis
    • Among the arid lands of Rajasthan, surrounded by marble mines, there is an oasis: a small town called Piplantri, where women are no longer afraid of giving birth to a girl. Since 2005, every time a girl is born in Piplantri, 111 trees are planted in her name to celebrate the occasion. A man named Shyam Sunder Paliwal lost a 16-year-old daughter and decided to plant a tree in his memory. In her pain, he could not believe that sometimes people could end their own daughter's life, just for economic reasons. Then he realized that trees should be planted not to commemorate death, but to celebrate the lives of all girls. That’s how the idea was born: he convinced the villagers, one at a time, that the basis of a bright future was to grow trees, take care of water and educate girls.

      "Sisters of the trees" intimately portrays the life of the women of Piplantri, the positive changes and also the challenges they face. Brave women like Kala, who is the ally of Shyam Sunder Paliwal, gave the example of empowerment by showing that it is possible to work outside their home and earn their own income. O Bhavari, a strong and cheerful woman in her forties, who couldn’t finish primary school, but is raising her daughter Nikita supporting her education and her dream of becoming a doctor someday. Or Leela, a young mother who is planting trees in the name of her newborn girl and with this simple gesture, opening a range of possibilities for her future. They are the daily stories of a project that has already changed their lives forever.