Fire in the Mountains

Its criticisms of patriarchal authority, bureaucratic corruption and superstition in rural India are sharp and unsparing, but its political themes are embedded in a humanism that is at once expansive and specific.

A mix of heavenly landscapes and desperate lives, Ajitpal Singh's debut feature is like if Apu in Pather Panchali had TikTok...

Through the snapshot of one family, struggling to stay afloat, director Ajitpal Singh constructs a strident critique of globalized India...

[Singh] abstains from making any conclusions, but what he does present is a strong indictment.

"Fire in the Mountains" is a conventional tale that pits progressive ideals against tradition. But what makes it work is Singh's resolve to avoid miserablism and remain nonjudgmental throughout...

A single woman tending to many challenges might be the anchor of Ajitpal Singh’s film, but it is really contextualised by the women who flank her.

The film has a very simple method of dealing with the story and show the sharp, observant eyes of the director who is not preachy and leaves it to the audience to decide...

Fire in the Mountains, Ajitpal Singh’s gorgeous, startling debut feature, begins with a negotiation and ends with one. In between, desire, dread, and desperation coalesce to paint an evocative tapestry of protest art.

A very impressive first film. It's not a great film, but it's a very noble one.

Fire in the Mountains paints a somber picture of servitude in a place of majestic beauty. A subjugated protagonist is taken for granted by everyone around her. Director/writer Ajitpal Singh delivers a richly dramatic feature debut.