Howrah Howrah

Howrah is the name of the central train station in Calcutta, one of the largest in Asia and an important hub for the transportation of travellers and freight. Howrah is also a microcosm of life in an Indian metropolis. The station is a bustling, chaotic place, full of the extreme contrasts that pertain to life in a third-world city. A deceased vagabond, mutilated beggars and loafing children are not uncommon in this station-scape. But there is also a form of public education and medical care. A beacon amidst this activity is the blind platform announcer with her reassuring announcements. Director Till Passow approaches his subject in a light-hearted fashion, with an eye for detail, depicting the daily life cycle in Howrah Station in a pleasant tempo. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)