Mahima
A poetic, visual meditation on human resilience, Mahima bears witness to young survivors of trafficking in India as they reclaim their stories, and their freedom, through the language of dance.
Format: Feature Documentary (90–110 minutes)
Genre: Artistic Documentary
Status: In production (On-location scouting complete)
short synopsis
Set against the vibrant, chaotic beauty of modern India, Mahima is an evocative, arthouse documentary that reimagines the story of survival through movement and art.
Instead of relying on to-camera interview footage recounting the horrors of underage human trafficking, the film turns its lens toward healing, following a group of young women in Kolkata who are rediscovering connection, agency, and joy through the transformative power of dance.
Told through poetic narration overlaying stunning imagery and dance performances, Mahima becomes a cinematic meditation on the human spirit’s ability to transcend trauma, reclaim the body, and find redemption in motion.
Shot with the cinematic ambition of works like Samsara and Pina, Mahima merges breathtaking imagery, choreography, and poetic narration to create a deeply immersive experience designed for both festival and streaming audiences.
​
Beyond its artistic power, the film functions as a catalyst for awareness and philanthropic engagement, building visibility and direct support for Mahima India, the internationally-renowned, Kolkata-based organization pioneering trauma-informed, art-based rehabilitation for survivors of trafficking.
​
With its universal themes of resilience and renewal, Mahima sits at the intersection of social impact and cinematic excellence, offering investors an opportunity to back a project that marries purpose with prestige, and beauty with measurable change.
Our Access
Our team has secured unprecedented access to Mahima India, earning exclusive, on-the-ground filming rights within Mahima’s facilities and rehabilitation programs, including their survivor-led performances that have never been filmed for public viewership.
​
Additionally, we have established direct trust and ongoing relationships with Mahima India’s leadership and participants, ensuring authentic, trauma-informed storytelling guided by survivor consent and cultural sensitivity (please inquire about our Ethics & Safeguarding standards).
​
Through this rare level of access, Mahima offer a film that no other team could produce: an intimate, dignified portrayal from inside the walls of healing, where trauma gives way to transformation.
01
Full Access
Our team has worked hard to earn the trust and gain full access to Mahima’s programs and participants for verité and artistic filming.
03
Interagency Support
We have support from local production partners, agencies, and translators for ethical and secure fieldwork.
02
Full Permission
Resonator has full permission to feature original choreography and performances created by the survivors themselves.
04
Usage Rights
Our production has all rights to the Mahima India name and brand association, reinforcing legitimacy for investors, broadcasters, and distributors.
Directors' Statement
John David Harris, EP & Director
Jonathan Maricle, PhD, EP & Director
This film is not about darkness.
This film is about the transcendent power of hope that somehow endures in the darkest of places.
For us, the film is deeply personal. We’ve worked with these young girls face-to-face; we’ve watched them emerge from a chrysalis of suffering and claw back the right to be a child again – to trust, to laugh. And, we want to invite the world to come experience what we’ve witnessed.
Human trafficking remains one of the gravest humanitarian crises in India, yet narratives of hope are scarce – and narrative approaches to this topic are well-worn and often stale. Mahima reframes the story, not as an exposé of victimhood, but as an Oscar-worthy visual essay that leverages stark juxtaposition as a compositional tool: moving interview audio overlaid on stunning dance footage in 120fps; the hurried madness of Kolkata cut against the soft slowness of girls making chai.
And as the thematic spine of this composition is hope, our approach is about dignity, agency, and not sensationalism or shock and awe.
