Mouth of Hell

What do you think about the title of this film? Can you tell anything about what the film might be about?
Watch up to 00:33 secs. What sort of setting do we see at the very opening of the film?
Watch up to 01:47. What film techniques do the filmmakers create an extremely dangerous environment for Anant? (lighting, mise-en-scene, camera, music) How do we feel as an audience watching this? Do you think children should be in this sort of situation?
Watch up to 03:13. How do the filmmakers emphasise the challenges Anant has to face every day?
In the scene between Anant and his mother (04:06 – 05:39) how does the camera convey the close relationship between them? What impact does this scene have on the audience?
Why did Anant take the wallet to the police station? (Think about the dialogue in the previous scene.)
Stop at 07:15. What do you think is going to happen?
As Anant is talking to the woman in her car, what point of view is the camera shooting from? Why do you think this is?
Pause at 09:06. What does this establishing shot remind the audience of?
Anant is walking home with the woman whose wallet he found. The questions she asks are for the audience’s benefit. What do we find out about this place?
Watch to 09:37. How does the sound create an atmosphere as they walk to Anant’s home?
Anant’s mother explains what has happened to her, a very sad story. How is this sadness emphasised by the lighting and camera?
The ending of this film is extremely powerful. Explain how the filmmakers have achieved this by using camera, lighting and music.

At the end of the film, we see a funeral ritual for Anant’s mother. How is this different to what you have seen/experienced/know of in your own culture? Are there any similarities with your community’s religious and/or cultural traditions?