The Road to Independence

To learn the story of its Independence, Olie Hunter Smart took on an immense challenge to walk the length of India, a 4,500km journey that saw him on his feet for over seven months seeking out untold stories of Independence and Partition. Olie’s route saw him trekking over snowy mountain passes high up in the Himalayas, battling intense heat in the northern plains, and being drenched to the bone by monsoon rains as he walked through the rural heartland of the country. Following in Gandhi’s footsteps, Olie immerses himself in the culture, being invited in by so many of the people he encounters, recording shocking and heartfelt first-hand accounts of India’s struggle for freedom gained 70 years earlier. Having never made a film before, this film is the culmination of almost two years of hard work, self-filming, writing, editing and producing, with invaluable support and music by Austin Vince.