Valley of Saints is about two young men living by the Dal Lake in Kashmir who fall under the spell of the same woman when their trip out of town is delayed by military conflict. It's that classic, universal story we all know and have all probably experienced. In that way, Valley of Saints isn't attempting to reinvent the wheel or weave an incredibly new yarn. Instead, it's content to paint a very pretty picture of contemporary India. It looks good. It sounds good. But it's not incredibly deep.
Yoni Brook's cinematography is vivid and perfectly captures the natural beauty of the lake, which is featured so prominently and vitally in the film that it's practically a character in itself. Asifa, a scientist there to research the dying lake, spends much of her time riding around on Gulzar's boat, snagging water samples and writing notes. There's not much going on, but there doesn't really have to be. It's just gorgeous to look at.
Still, it's hard to not want something more. It feels like the same old story told in an exotic new location, a slice of ordinary life in a new plcae. This is the type of film that Sundance seems guilty of overprogramming these days and this strange subgenre is starting to show its age. Good looks aren't everything, unfortunately.
Valley of Saints is competing in the World Cinema Documentary Competition.
