To Kill a Tiger

Last updated
To Kill a Tiger
To Kill a Tiger.jpg
Directed by Nisha Pahuja
Written by Nisha Pahuja
Produced byDavid Oppenheim
Nisha Pahuja
Cornelia Principe
CinematographyMrinal Desai
Edited by Dave Kazala
Mike Munn
Music by Jonathan Goldsmith
Production
companies
Distributed by Netflix [lower-alpha 1]
Release date
  • September 10, 2022 (2022-09-10)(TIFF)
Running time
127 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageHindi

To Kill a Tiger is a 2022 Hindi-language Canadian documentary film, directed by Nisha Pahuja. [1] The film centres on a family in Jharkhand, India, who are campaigning for justice after their teenage daughter was brutally raped. [2]

Contents

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022. [3] The film had its American premiere at the Lighthouse International Film Festival in June 2023. [4] It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 96th Academy Awards. [5]

Release

To Kill a Tiger was originally released in select theaters in the United States without a distributor on October 20, 2023, followed by a re-release on February 9, 2024. In August 2023, Creators Faire reported that Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling signed on as executive producers; other executive producers also include Deepa Mehta, Rupi Kaur and Atul Gawande. [6] In February 2024, Netflix acquired worldwide distribution rights to the documentary, planning to release the documentary on their platform as soon as possible, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas joining the film as an executive producer. [7] On March 8, 2024, Pahuja announced that the film would be made available globally on Netflix two days later, coinciding with the 96th Academy Awards. [8]

Critical response

The film was named to TIFF's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2022. [9]

Janet Smith of Stir praised the film, writing that Pahuja "offers the viewer remarkable access to village life, not just in the modest home where Ranjit’s family make roti on an open fire, but in the fields where they herd goats and collect water from a pump. The camera finds quiet details, like Ranjit’s daughter carefully weaving ribbons into her hair. Women and men insist that the community, not the criminal court, should solve the issue with a forced marriage—to remove the “stain on her”. The men become increasingly hostile—to the family, and eventually to the film crew itself." [10]

Andrew Parker of TheGATE.ca wrote that "as a highly detailed and personal work that can point people in a direction where they could learn more about the subject and make a larger impact, To Kill a Tiger has an undeniable and unshakable power. It is one of those documentaries where anyone who watches it won’t be the same person by the end as they were when it started." [11]

James Mackin of CityNews rated the film four stars, writing that "To Kill A Tiger is about accomplishing an insurmountable problem. The odds are stacked against them, the nation’s culture opposes their desire for justice. But Ranjit and his family persevere, and are able to remain in the village. This documentary is an incredibly emotional showcase that is absolutely worth a watch." [12]

Thom Ernst of Northern Stars wrote that "told with immense compassion and bravery, To Kill a Tiger is Pahuja’s best film and one of the best documentaries at this year’s festival." [13] The film has also garnered the attention of comedian and producer Mindy Kaling, who called the film a "triumph" and that "everyone should see it!" [14]

Awards

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef(s)
Toronto International Film Festival 2022 Best Canadian Film To Kill a TigerWon [15]
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival 2022 Inspiring Voices and PerspectivesWon [16]
Canadian Screen Awards 2023 Best Feature Length Documentary Won [17]
Best Editing in a Documentary Mike Munn and Dave Kazala Won
Best Original Music in a Documentary Jonathan Goldsmith Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2023 Best DocumentaryTo Kill a TigerWon [18]
Salem Film Fest2023Special Jury AwardWon [19]
Michael Sullivan Award for Documentary JournalismWon
Canadian Cinema Editors Awards2023Best Editing in Feature DocumentaryMike Munn and Dave KazalaWon [20]
Lighthouse International Film Festival2023Audience Award for Best DocumentaryTo Kill a TigerWon [21]
Honey Levine Audience Choice AwardWon
Doc Aviv- Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival2023Beyond the Screen AwardWon [22]
Mammoth Lakes Film Festival2023Best International Documentary FeatureWon [23]
New York Indian Film Festival2023Best DocumentaryWon [24]
Directors Guild of Canada 2023 Allan King Award for Best Documentary Won [25]
IDA Documentary Awards 2023Best Original Music Score Jonathan Goldsmith Nominated [26]
Best Writing Nisha Pahuja Nominated
Vancouver Film Critics Circle 2024 Best Documentary Nisha PahujaWon [27]
Best Canadian Film Nominated [28]
Best Director of a Canadian Film Nominated
Best Canadian Documentary Nominated
Academy Awards March 10, 2024 Best Documentary Feature Film Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David OppenheimNominated [29]

Notes

  1. This documentary was originally given a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 20, 2023 without a distributor, followed by a re-release on February 9, 2023 following its nomination for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. After Netflix's acquisition of distribution rights to the documentary, it was released on the platform as a Netflix Original.

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References

  1. "Tanya Tagaq doc, Indigenous romance among Canadian titles added to TIFF slate". CityNews , August 10, 2022.
  2. Johanna Schneller, "Documentary details fight for justice against sexual violence in India". The Globe and Mail , February 9, 2023.
  3. Matthew Carey, "TIFF Announces Doc Lineup Highlighted By World Premiere Of Hillary And Chelsea Clinton-Executive Produced Film ‘In Her Hands’". Deadline Hollywood , August 17, 2022.
  4. "2023 Lighthouse International Film Festival: Documentaries and Narrative Features". New Jersey Stage, May 23, 2023.
  5. "Oscar-nominated documentary 'To Kill A Tiger' bought by Netflix". The New Indian Express. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  6. "Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling Sign on as Executive Producers of the Award-Winning Documentary TO KILL A TIGER". Creators Faire. 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  7. Carry, Matthew (24 February 2024). "Double Dose Of Good News For 'To Kill A Tiger': Priyanka Chopra Jonas Boards Oscar-Nominated Doc As Netflix Prepares To Launch Film Globally". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  8. Carey, Matthew (8 March 2024). "Academy Award-Nominated 'To Kill A Tiger' To Premiere On Netflix Oscar Sunday; Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling Praise Film". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  9. Pat Mullen, "Three Feature Docs Make Canada’s Top Ten". Point of View , December 8, 2022.
  10. Janet Smith, "To Kill a Tiger takes a powerful look at one father's fight against sexual violence in India, at VIFF till February 16". Stir, February 11, 2023.
  11. Andrew Parker, "To Kill a Tiger Review: Only God Forgives". TheGATE.ca , February 9, 2023.
  12. James Mackin, "REVIEW: To Kill A Tiger, a refusal to ignore justice". CityNews , February 9, 2023.
  13. Staff (2022-09-11). "TIFF 2022 – Day Four". Northernstars.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  14. "Mindy Kaling endorses Toronto filmmaker Nisha Pahuja's doc at TIFF |". Shedoesthecity. 2022-09-06. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
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