Aparajito

Compelling continuation of Apu’s life story is forgiven some melodramatic lapses (and a moment of real emotional cruelty involving the resolution of Apu’s relationship with his mother), but once again Ray’s raw and authentic approach to filming the slums of India (and Apu’s delight in educating himself as a means of striving to a higher social level) makes this genuinely poignant and moving at times; with the other chapters of this saga, Ray has accomplished a significant achievement in the telling the story of a human life from birth to (almost) death.