Oscar-nommed doc: A 13-year-old and her dad demand justice after she is raped
Content Warning: The following story references sexual assault of a teenager.
"As her father, I deeply regret that I didn't protect her."
That's Ranjit, a middle-age rice farmer from the Bero district of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. He is speaking of the gang rape of his 13-year-old daughter. Their story is the subject of director Nisha Pahuja's film, To Kill a Tiger, which has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film.
Set in a scenic village, with lush rice fields and dusty lanes, replete with goats, Pahuja's documentary transports viewers to the beauty of small-town India – and the heartaches and strife in Ranjit's life.
In the opening scene, a girl braids her hair, securing it with bright orange ribbons that look like a burst of golden flowers. She looks to be all of 13.
The camera shifts to a middle-aged man, his face worn and tired. He's seated beside lush green fields, and speaks of the love he has for his daughter, one of four children.
