Sola
Directed by Swati Deshpande
India · 2025 · 28 min · documentary
Submitted to RTV International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
SOLA is a 28-minute debut documentary filmed by me while walking the full 320-kilometre Camino Primitivo, from the Cathedral of Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela, in the north of Spain. Over fifteen arduous days, what's recorded is not only the scenic landscapes, physical challenges but fun and quiet moments on the ancient pilgrimage, while asking the fundamental question why have others chosen to walk the path. Their on the spot responses were evocative, personal, posits of hope, reconciliation, faith and self-discovery. Shot spontaneously, in real time, on the road through a mosaic of moving images, stills and quick encounters on the move or the day's end, SOLA weaves these fragments into a story of perseverance and the transformative power of putting one foot in front of the other.
Director(s)
Swati Deshpande is a senior Indian journalist specialising in legal affairs, known for impeccable reporting with rigour and her ability to bring complex human stories to life. That same instinct—to look beyond the facts and find the human, emotional connection—has led her naturally into filmmaking. Her debut documentary, Sola, reveals a filmmaker drawn to human resilience, quiet transformation and the emotional stories hidden within extraordinary journeys.
Film stills
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RTV International Film Festival — Inaugural Online Edition · 2026