In the tradition of hard-hitting neo-realist filmmaking comes the debut feature of Tariq Tapa, a US-born filmmaker of Kashmiri/Jewish-American descent. Having spent his childhood summers in India-controlled Kashmir with his father’s family, he was committed to making a film of quotidian life, far from Bollywood fantasies and Western news reports of terrorism: Dilawar is a teenage pickpocket whose escape plans are complicated when he develops an uneasy alliance with a woman (herself fleeing an arranged marriage) whose passport he has stolen. ZERO BRIDGE is a story of two young people's struggle to retain their humanity, despite poverty, the traditional culture into which they’ve been born, and the fatalism, sexism and casual cruelty of their families.

 “A bull’s eye… made on a shoestring, ZERO BRIDGE is a surprise from start to finish and it will move even those with hearts of stone.  The direction is as intuitive and spontaneous as Srinagar City is precarious, dangerous and claustrophobic.” – Julien Welter, ARTÉ-TV France

“Rare… suspended between the new Iranian cinema of Abbas Kiarostami and American independent cinema… the first film to revindicate autonomy for the region, culture, and people of Kashmir.” – Marco Mueller, Venice Biennale 2008

“Gritty, powerful… a real find.” – Variety

“Packs a punch… Powerful.” – Reuters

“Astonishing.” – Filmmaker Magazine

“Packs an impressive emotional wallop.” – LA Weekly, Critics’ Pick