1954-1958

63. Burmah Shell (EBC) — A Family in Travancore — 30 min
      The Indian Experiment Series

Documentary on traditional family life in South India. Filmed in the village of Travancore, a local family provide background story to this study of social structure and rural customs. Narrative explains how past and future and linked together in the family unit as the film shows each member’s role. The mother runs a coffee stall in the village; the older son works in the fields; the younger son applies himself to school studies and a suitable bride—groom is found for the daughter, who marries and leaves home. The father, a boatman, delivers cargo to a nearby port on the network of backwater canals on which Travancore is situated. The film ends with the spectacular Malabar boat races, held every year during the Festival of Tranvancore.