Toronto, Sep 17 - 'The Man Beyond the Bridge' (Paltadacho Munis), the first-ever Konkan film to make it to any global film event, has created a buzz at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The 96-minute film, which Goan filmmaker Laxmikant Shetgaonkar has made with assistance from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), has been lauded by audiences for dealing with major dilemmas - faith, environment and social taboos.
Set in the lush thick Western Ghats, the film is an intense interplay of insanity, love, social taboos and political gimmickry.
Vinayak, the protagonist of the film, is a forest guard who loses his wife. His life in the midst of the thick forest adds to his loneliness. His only diversion from loneliness are the long patrols of the jungle and his occasional visits to his village.
One night when he is sleeping in his jungle house, he hears an insane woman making noises.
Initially, he shoos her away, but the woman keeps coming back. Finally, he takes pity on her, starts caring for her and an intimate relationship develops between the two.
In between, he locks her up to go on rounds of the forest to ensure there is no poaching. But with the blessing of a local politician, the tribals clear a patch to build a temple on the forest land.