Award-winning filmmaker Eisha Marjala’s Calorie is set to make its Asian debut at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, and Compass Productions has released the trailer ahead of the screening.
The coming-of-age drama, which recently won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress (Canadian Film) at Toronto’s IFFSA Festival, is scheduled for theatrical release across Canada on November 28th through distribution company Philoption International.
The film follows three generations of women whose present and past collide during an emotional summer in India. Monica (Ellora Patnaik), a stressed-out single mother, sends her two teenage daughters, calorie-obsessed Alia (Shanaya Dhillon-Bamuhan) and rebellious Simi (Ashley Ganga), to India to visit their great-uncle and aunt, hoping to connect with their Punjabi roots. What begins as an involuntary trip turns into a journey of growth as the sisters discover a hidden family tragedy that threatens to tear the entire family apart.
The film co-stars Patnaik, Indian actor Anupam Kher, known for his role in “One-of-a-kind Playbook,” and Ganga, who starred in Netflix’s “Grand Army,” and marks Dhillon-Bamuhan’s first leading role. The cast also includes Dolly Ahluwalia, who won the Indian National Film Award for ‘Vicky Donor’.
Inspired by real events, the film is based on Marjala’s personal history. In the summer of 1985, her mother and sister boarded Air India Flight 182 from Montreal, which exploded in midair, killing all 329 people on board. Marjala, who was scheduled to be on the flight, parlays the tragedy into a story about intergenerational trauma and healing.
“This film serves as a way to repair the complex structures of this past for those affected and provide a broader picture that leans toward connection and healing by centering families,” Mulhalla said. “We witness Canadian Sikh families grappling with contemporary issues within walls of silence, misunderstanding, and buried hurt, and we see them emerge on the other side more whole, more centered, and united.”
Producer Joe Barras, who founded Compass Productions in 1997, highlighted the 10-year journey to bring the project to the screen. Dillon-Baumhan was only 11 years old when filming began on her feature debut.
The feature film was shot in both Canada and India, with cinematography by Mark Simpson-Threlford (CSC) and Christophe Dalpe. The film received support from Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund, CBC Films, Hollywood Suite and ATN. Formerly known as IFFI’s Market Component, it previously participated in Film Bazaar.
The project will be Marjala’s latest feature-length work, following the NFB documentary “Am I the Skinniest People You’ve Ever Seen?,” which won the Betty Uson Award for Best Canadian Short Film at the 2024 Hot Documents Festival.
You can watch the trailer for “Calorie” here.
