A Fly on the Wall has two official directors and a third unofficial creator. The names of Shonali Bose and Nilesh Maniyar in the credits are followed by that of Chika Kapadia, who gave life to the documentary through his death.
Kapadia was Bose’s friend for close to three decades. In 2022, Kapadia learnt that he was in the final stage of a rare form of cancer.
Given mere months to live, Kapadia decided to seek assisted suicide at Dignitas, the medical organisation in Switzerland aimed at people with terminal ailments or severe mental illnesses. Kapadia told Bose that only did he want her to document what he called his “going away party”, but also the moment when he took his last breath. Bose and Maniyar accompanied Kapadia on his journey to the Digintas centre in Zurich, their cameras constantly in filming mode.
Given Kapadia’s consent to – and insistence on – being filmed, A Fly on the Wall doesn’t have the apparent tensions that typically arise in documentaries. However, challenges appear after the makers agree to go along with Kapadia’s plan.
In particular, Bose is conflicted about fulfilling her dear friend’s last wish while also maintaining her ethical standards. Bose addresses her dilemmas to the camera, confessing that she is torn between catching the moments that will enhance the film and being there for her friend in his last days.
The 82-minute documentary was premiered on Friday at the 29th Busan International Film Festival. After Busan, which runs until October 11, A Fly On The Wall will be shown at the Mumbai Film Festival (October 19-14) in its Focus South Asia section.
A Fly on the Wall marks the fourth collaboration between Shonali Bose and Nilesh Maniyar after the fictional features Margarita with a Straw (2014) and The Sky Is Pink (2019) and an episode in the anthology series Modern Love Mumbai.
Both the movies, which Bose directed, deal with untimely death due to illnesses. In 2010, Bose’s 16-year-old son Ishan passed away in an accident – a lingering tragedy that Bose addresses in A Fly on the Wall too.
Despite its potentially morose subject matter, A Fly on the Wall seeks to be cheerful about an inevitability. Filmed on the go and with available light, A Fly on the Wall has the technical polish and intimate effect of a home video.
The personal documentary form emphasises an emotional approach rather than an intellectual reaction to physician-assisted suicide. The shock value of the film’s subject matter is softened by Kapadia’s affability as well as his visible rapport with Bose.
The full-throated embrace of a divisive form of self-erasure and the championing of Dignitas leave no room for alternate viewpoints. Moving in parts but also raising questions about the depiction of suicide in other moments, the documentary benefits from a clear-eyed honesty about its intentions.
Kapadia acknowledges that his courageous acceptance of his condition stems from his privilege. In a blog reproduced in the film, Kapadia exudes relief, rather than fear, about his planned exit: “Death is a part of life. You've got to stop running away from it. You’ve got to see it happen in a beautiful way. Out. Of. Choice.”
Bose too is candid about her unfiltered feelings. Kapadia’s involvement in the filmmaking process, which includes dictating shot breakdowns to Bose, adds an interesting layer to the overall narrative.
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