A Cry in the Dark (2006)

It was a standoff that barely made the world news. Two summers ago, in India’s eastern state of Manipur, a young woman was arrested, then reportedly raped and killed in police custody. She was a village girl of no particular prominence but the popular movement that rose up in the wake of Thangiam Manorama’s death shook the foundations of a government. Here, showdown after showdown between unarmed protesters and the officers of the Assam Rifles is captured. In plain view, police beat protesters with staffs. They fire tear-gas canisters into crowds and bullets mere inches from protesters’ heads. Through it all, the camera keeps rolling.