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By the River (2021) poster

By the River

2021, English. Directed by Dan Braga Ulvestad.

A virtual pilgrimage to India's "death hotels" directed by Dan Braga Ulvestad

Varanasi is the Indian city where Hindus go to die. Stretching along the Ganges, Varanasi holds great spiritual significance because Hindu scriptutres say that anyone who dies there will attain moksha—liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Berlin-based director Dan Braga Ulvestad captures life and death in India’s heartland in this moving documentary filled with exquisite cinematic moments. By the River starts its narrative journey with the city’s “death hotels,” dedicated apartments where people wait to die, sometimes for decades, so they can be cremated on the banks of the Ganges.

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Runtime
0h 25m
Post-credits
None listed
Language
English
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By the River isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 11 March 2021.

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Details

Released
11 March 2021
Country
India
afterlifehinduismvaranasispiritualityreligionindiadeathcremationganges

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How long is By the River?

By the River runs 25 minutes (0h 25m).

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Which OTT platform is By the River on?

By the River isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 11 March 2021. (Checked 12 November 2026.)

What movies are like By the River?

If you liked By the River, try Baraka, Naqoyqatsi, Koyaanisqatsi.

Who directed By the River?

By the River (2021) was directed by Dan Braga Ulvestad.

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