Cinema VinesAt the Venice International Film Festival, Shalini Adnani’s debut feature, Our Share of Sand, premiered in the Critics’ Week lineup, drawing attention to the hidden injustices of India’s sand mining industry through the eyes of a young girl. The Chilean‑born, London‑based director, who grew up in Latin America and has spent many summers in India, said she wanted to examine society “from the microcosm of a family.” The film follows 12‑year‑old Maya, played by Maya Mehta, as she returns to Maharashtra with her mother to reconnect with her father, a sand‑mining businessman, and confront the harsh realities of the industry.
Adnani explained that the story emerged from her own childhood memories of her grandmother selecting jewellery for her, an experience that sparked her interest in the oral histories that families carry. “I didn’t realise how important it is for women that it was this one thing that they had, where they essentially were protecting the family because things can happen, you have to maybe run away,” she told PTI. The film captures the way jewellery and diamonds serve as a form of security for women, a theme that echoes the broader economic inequalities she observes.
During the film’s narrative, Maya finds herself entangled in a tragic accident that leads to a police investigation. She becomes a key witness, and her father relies on her testimony to avoid legal repercussions. Torn between loyalty to her family and a growing unease about the exploitation she sees, Maya begins to question the truth. As her mother quietly unravels, Maya uncovers a pattern of silence and repeated harm, forcing her to confront her father’s deception and the family’s complicity in the sand‑mining business.
Adnani stated that while illegal sand mining often evokes images of crime, she wanted to steer away from a sensationalized view of India. “There was a moment when we were developing and people were like, someone should have their arm cut off. And I was like, ‘I understand’. But I wanted to steer away from that vision of India because there are also things that are a lot smaller that are happening,” she said, highlighting the subtle yet pervasive inequalities that permeate everyday life.
The film’s setting in Maharashtra and its focus on class, exploitation, and family dynamics offer a nuanced look at an industry that fuels both economic growth and social disparity. By presenting these issues through the perspective of a child, Adnani hopes to illuminate how deeply entrenched inequality can shape the lives of ordinary people, even when it is not immediately obvious.
