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Logline

After experiencing the first major trauma of her young life, Nia retreats to her family summer home in the Himalayas where time, nature and unlikely friendships help her heal.

Synopsis

Nia, 25, stands on a mountaintop on a winter morning wishing away the worst trauma of her young life- an illicit abortion. Visiting her family summer retreat in the Himalayas from the city, alone; she’s depressed, desolate and detached.

The caretaker of the house departs on an errand, leaving his mother-in-law Bhemi, 70, in charge along with his son Sunny, 8. Interaction is unavoidable…

A weathered mountain woman, Bhemi’s days are filled with labour, but her sense of humour doesn’t disguise the years of wisdom she offers; while Sunny’s endless mischief forces Nia back into a childhood that she had long forgotten.

As a stark, stunning winter sets in, these 3 souls find themselves bound together beyond age and class divides. Even as Nia starts to smile again, the demons of her past keep catching up on her, throwing her back into the trauma she is trying so hard to escape. Nia faces the ultimate test of love, pain and forgiveness as she struggles to heal and give her life a ‘Second Chance’.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Subhadra Mahajan – Writer/Director
Subhadra Mahajan was born and raised in the Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh and currently resides in Mumbai, India. She has had a long collaboration with filmmaker Pan Nalin, most notably in co-writing Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and released theatrically in over 60 countries. It won accolades for being ground-breaking in its truthful, non-apologetic depiction of womanhood in contemporary India. Other films she has worked on include Faith Connections (2013); Beyond the Known World (2017); and Last Film Show (2021) – which is India’s official entry to the Oscars 2023. Second Chance is her debut feature film project.

Shyam Bora – Producer
Hailing from Assam in the north-east of India, Shyam is the co-founder of Metanormal Motion Pictures. The drama feature Second Chance, currently at the post-production stage, is his third feature as producer. In 2019, his debut feature as Producer, the horror-romace Aamis (Ravening), premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in the International Narrative Competition section. His second feature is the 2022 road-trip dramedy Emuthi Puthi (A Very Fishy Trip) and was shot completely on iPhone in collaboration with Apple India Inc. He is a fellow of the Busan Asian Film School’s International Film Business Academy (AFiS), the Buncheon NAFF Fantastic Genre Film School and Film Independent’s Global Media Makers program.

Pan Nalin – Executive Producer
Pan Nalin is a writer, director, and producer known for his acclaimed works including India’s nomination for Oscars 2023 Last Film Show, Angry Indian Goddesses, Faith Connections, Valley of Flowers and Samsara. His films have collectively won more than 70 international awards with official selection at festivals like AFI, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca, Busan, Melbourne, Rome, Valladolid, among others. Nalin is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars) in its esteemed Directors’ Branch and of the French Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema (Cesars).

Swapnil S. Sonawane – Executive Producer/Director of Photography
Swapnil S. Sonawane grew up in an environment of image making; his family owned and ran a photo colour lab in the heart of Pune city in Maharashtra, where he was born and raised. A deep sensitivity towards art and aesthetics is something he contributes to his father’s Influence. Swapnil started his career by shooting the groundbreaking travel documentary shows, Dewarists (Bronze Lion at Cannes 2012) and Sound Trippin. Pan Nalin’s Angry Indian Goddesses (TIFF 2015) was Swapnil’s debut feature fiction film, earning him his first nomination for best cinematography at the Indian Filmfare Awards. He was nominated for a second time with Newton (Berlin 2017). Post that and apart from a slew of Indian feature films, Swapnil co-shot Sacred Games (2018/9), Netflix’s first ever Indian series; and its season 2 earned him an OTT Indian Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography. Swapnil’s latest film – Last Film Show, directed by Pan Nalin was India’s official entry to the Oscars 2023.

Namra Parikh – Production Designer
Namra Parikh is a Production Designer and Art Director for Feature Films, Television Commercials and Print Ads, based in Mumbai, India. Having previously worked as an Assistant Director on some award-winning feature films including Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, she started working as a Set Decorator and On Set dresser in 2007. This experience helped her smoothly transition into her first role as Production Designer on the critically acclaimed Indian film Queen in 2012. Since then she has production designed over 50 TV commercials, 5 feature length films and collaborated as art director and set decorator on many more.

Tinni Mitra – Editor
Tinni Mitra is an editor based out of Mumbai, India. She won Best Editing in Non-Feature category at the 58th National Film Awards for diploma film Germ. Her notable work includes Nazarband which premiered in Busan International Film Festival 2020. Amoli won the Best Investigative Film at the 66th National Film Awards. A Man Who Dwarfed The Mountains won the Best Environment Film in 63rd National Film Awards. The Seventh Walk was the Closing film of ‘Cinema XXI’ section at Rome Film Festival, 2013 and was in the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, 2014. Tinni holds a Master’s Degree in Film Studies from Jadavpur University, and a diploma in Editing from Satyajit Ray Film & T.V. Institute, India. Tinni is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents.

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Contact

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