The film ‘Veil of Dust,’ directed by Dominic Sangma, the filmmaker behind ‘Rapture,’ has made its debut at the Busan Asian Project Market, part of the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM). The drama centers on a village community grappling with the devastating effects of unregulated stone mining. The story follows Nengsal, a 35-year-old villager who loses a leg in a mining blast, and his wife Ajin, who fights for compensation against a system that exploits and silences victims. The narrative delves into the complexities of indigenous beliefs, as the couple’s children, Kasanchi and Miklu, become entangled in mystical rituals led by healer Rengin, which involve transferring wounds through rituals involving birds. The film also addresses the broader environmental and social impact of mining, with Sangma drawing from his childhood memories of landslides, cracked homes, and the encroachment of mining operations on village settlements. Sangma describes the issue as not merely environmental but a spiritual erosion, stating, ‘To an outsider, unregulated mining might seem like a mere environmental issue. But to those of us who live in its shadow, it doesn’t just erode the soil—it erodes the soul.’ The film is part of Sangma’s village trilogy, with ‘Rapture’ having premiered at Locarno in 2023 and won the cultural diversity award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. ‘Ma’ama,’ his debut film, won best cinematography at the Shanghai International Film Festival. The project is currently in development, with the team seeking co-production partners and backers to support Sangma’s vision. Producer Xu Jianshang, who has worked with Sangma on previous projects, emphasizes the director’s commitment to highlighting community suffering and the universal relevance of his local stories. The film aims to serve as a microcosm of humanity’s destructive relationship with the earth, urging audiences to consider their impact on the planet. The Busan Asian Project Market provides a platform for such projects to gain international attention and funding, with ‘Veil of Dust’ poised to become a significant voice in global cinema.