Music in a Village Named 1PB

Surabhi Sharma / India / 2025 / International Premiere / 130 min.

synopsis

The Mirs are a Muslim community of musicians from the Thar Desert region in western Rajasthan, one of the most densely populated arid areas in the world. The landscape here consists of shifting dunes, short monsoons, and a constant struggle for water. For centuries, the Mirs have preserved poetry and music that have transcended religious and national boundaries and become a fundamental link in local identity. Today, however, this community lives in nameless settlements, identified only by numbers, such as 1PB. The film creates a portrait of local residents of all generations, offering a comprehensive look at their everyday lives and cultural and historical heritage. It shows the connection between the landscape and people, the culture and the environment that shapes it. But how are traditions preserved when the environment is transformed by environmental changes and industrial interventions? The soil is being degraded, the music is slowly fading away. Sensitively conducted interviews, authentic testimonies, samples of fascinating music, and the protagonists' sense of humour paint a picture of a community struggling to preserve its identity.

“I didn’t make peace with my dear beloved, I wasted my life, found no meaning.”

biography

Surabhi Sharma (born 1970) is an Indian film director, educator, intermedia artist, and curator originally from Mumbai. She teaches Film and New Media at the University of Abu Dhabi. She has made several feature-length documentaries, video installations, and short fiction films.