The Roller Coaster That Is India

For anyone who has been to India, you will know that it is the very definition of chaos. The streets dazzle your senses. The smells, sights, and sounds are unforgettable. You cannot move too quickly or you will miss things, but cannot stop too long for the same reason. Life is raw, and comes in all shapes and sizes.

Cuban-born, Netherlands-based filmmaker Yuribert Capetillo Hardy captured just that in his beautiful film “Roller Coaster,” shot during a one-week assignment he was on for Dutch non-profit 1000Children. Just this week it was chosen as a Vimeo Staff Pick, and it’s easy to see why. His beautifully crafted transitions take you on the roller-coaster ride he experienced in Kolkata.

Hardy went with 1000Children to Kolkata knowing that what he was there to film was going to be heavy and sometimes abhorrent. But even amongst this weight there is always beauty, and Hardy shows us this through his lens so well.

Both “Roller Coaster” and his original assignment were shot during a one-week stay in Kolkata, and Hardy had to work extremely hard to get all the footage. As he put it, “Work hard, and when you get tired, work even harder. No matter your lack of sleep, stomach problems, or jet-lag, just work from the heart.” He would wake early every morning and explore the city before beginning his official day to capture “the pure form of life.” This sort of dedication, he feels, is what it takes to complete a personal project when everything else is going on.

Hardy said that even though “Roller Coaster” wasn’t a planned outcome of his trip to Kolkata, he felt compelled to make it. He wanted to create something that didn’t follow any rules and really showcased how he felt during his first time in Kolkata. He said that by keeping his eyes open for possibilities and then sticking to them when he found them, he was able to complete a personal piece as well.

You can check out more of Hardy’s work on Vimeo and his website.