Set in India during the pre-Gandhi years, Water gives a glimpse of a culture embroiled in social revolution and religious change. Chuyia, a nine year old widow, barely remembers the experience of her wedding. After her husbands death she is taken to an Ashram, an institution for widowed women, where she must live out the rest of her life. The young girl has a reckless mischievous streak and creates both havoc and excitement in the otherwise oppressed and lifeless sanctuary. She bites, kicks, screams and behaves badly. Despite this outward display, we can see clearly that Chuyia is also terribly aware of her situation, and she gradually accepts that her parents will not be returning for her with a depth of understanding that belies her age. 'Auntie', almost senile, but hanging on to the threads of the beautiful memory of eating sweets at her own wedding, forms a bond with Chuyia and they share in little jokes. She also befriends the 'Goddess', a striking young lady who is forced by the head of the Ashram to prostitute herself to Brahmin men on the other side of the holy river. Chuyia finds her own contentment in the daily life of the women, deals with loss and death and lives through circumstances beyond anything anyone should have to endure. Although at times overly idealistic and romantic in its portrayal of poverty and India, this is a film highly worth seeing.