Invisible Demons (Invisible Demons - Tuhon merkit)
Finland/Germany 2022

Opening 3 Nov 2022

Directed by: Rahul Jain
Writing credits: Yaël Bitton, Rahul Jain, Iikka Vehkalahti

Director Rahul Jain takes us to Delhi, India, to experience smog, lack of water, unhealthy air, and contaminated rivers. In 1991 Delhi became a free market, active in international trade, exporting quite successfully. It progressed financially and its 30 million residents enjoyed living in this rich atmosphere. At the same time the “atmosphere.” i.e., the environment, declined to an extent that increased prosperity is worthless as the population suffers from a dying world, where heat often rises to 50 degrees centigrade. Only the well-to-do have air conditioners. Streets are crowded with vehicles and people. Jain takes us through the city, stopping to talk with local residents, such as a rickshaw driver. They discuss the monsoon season, when two-thirds of the country is flooded. We see mountains of garbage. More than 1.2 million people have died of air pollution; the poverty-stricken suffer the worst, often from coughing.

What demons are invisible here? The dying environment is definitely not invisible. Perhaps some causes tend to be invisible, and therefore cannot be attended to. In spite of the tragic theme, this movie is spaced out so excellently, that we loyally follow Jain. We learn more in its 66 minutes than we experience in longer films. Delhi is not alone in its problems. We will face similar situations, and therefore we must become aware and seek solutions. Viewing Invisible Demons is a must, as it opens our minds to dangers threatening us all, and only we can find a solution—or become extinct. (Becky Tan)