'Margarita With A Straw' | SBIFF Feature 2015

A rebellious young woman with cerebral palsy leaves her home in India to study in New York, unexpectedly falls in love, and embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.

This time, the luminous French Indian actress Kalki Koechlin defies usual expectation. She plays Laila, a young romantic and secret rebel in a wheelchair. Undeterred by cerebral palsy, Laila wins a place at New York University and leaves India for Manhattan.

A whole new world opens up, the chance encounter with fiery female activist Khanum has challenged her beliefs, sparked her creativity and awakened her bisexuality. Laila’s exhilarating adventures cause a rift both within herself and with those she is closest to. In the intensity of these bonds she finds the strength to be truly herself. Tackling subject matter rarely explored with lightheartedness, director Shonali Bose’s TIFF award-winning drama is a beautiful, bold and brave portrait of love, identity and sexuality. Few will fail to be captivated by Kalki’s convincing performance, that genuine innocence in her expression which doesn’t come across very often on the big screen. Winner of Best Asian Film at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and Best Actress (Kalki Koechlin) at the Talin Black Nights Film Festival, MARGARITA, WITH A STRAW is joyous cinema that is bound to win your heart.

About the Film

Writer: Shonali Bose, Nilesh Maniyar
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Kalki Koechlin, Revathy, Sayani Gupta, William Moseley, Hussain Dalal
Run Time: 100 min
Year Completed: 2014
Country of Origin: India
Subtitles?: Yes

'Margarita, With A Straw' - International Trailer