Reviews & Quotes | THE BENGALI

University of Oregon | Lamia Karim, Professor & Department Head, Anthropology, Asian Studies
"A deeply humanistic film, THE BENGALI teaches us how to cross cultural differences. It beckons us to think about the meaning of home and belonging. What is home in a transnationalized world? The film asks the audience to think about family and genealogy in our increasingly mobile world."

Vague Visages
“Fatima’s achievements in Khori allow for some profoundly moving sequences in The Bengali. There are small logistic victories and lively conversations about cultural differences; there’s a dance sequence in which young girls interact with an American for the first time — it’s comparable to Chilean children processing their first experience with cinema in Ignacio Agüero’s 1988 documentary One Hundred Children Waiting for a Train.”

Alliance of Women Film Journalists
“A lyrical and poetic documentary that shows how stories and presumptions can change, forging connections that are rich and real - - - not just to the past, but to the world at large.”

Film Threat
"A poignant exploration of heritage and belonging that bridges continents and generations."

Times of India
“The film encompasses the bigger story of the Indian diaspora and the making of America.”

Reel News Daily
“The Bengali is a candid and revelatory dive into past and present, and thus the future. It breaks social and physical barriers, showing the viewer we're all part of a much larger community than we could imagine.”

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
“In this documentary, award-winning filmmaker Kavery Kaul unfolds the fascinating story of the first South Asian male immigrants to the U.S. who married African-American women and made a home in the black community.”

Broadway World
“A broadly-brushed watercolor landscape of little-discussed history which coaxes audiences into the story. The whole thing is bursting with heart.”

New York Amsterdam News Curtain Raiser
“A touching and beautiful film.”

Indian Express
"An eye-opening journey that connects worlds often seen as separate, showing how heritage shapes lives in surprising ways."

Neon Graffiti
“An absolute gem of a documentary.”

Span
“Kavery Kaul’s documentaries explore the shifting frames of culture, race, class, and belonging. The Bengali addresses the important issue of engagement between people of different faiths.”