Filmed in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami, From Dust follows three people in their effort to rebuild following the disaster. But what filmmaker Dhruv Dhawan initially thought would be a tale of rebirth, soon became an expose of the Sri Lankan government’s refusal to let residents reconstruct their homes along the coast.

The film follows two survivors, Ravi and Syril, and an Australian aid worker named Cameron, over the course of a year after the tsunami. In their attempts to rebuild homes, they are informed of a previously un-enforced rule that restricts building within 100 meters of the coastline. For fishermen like Ravi and Siril, this policy means double heartbreak as it also challenges their ability to work. Cameron suspects that the government is planning to launch a massive real estate development initiative on the newly cleared coastline.

While the film brims over with the political implications of the Sri Lankan government’s response to the disaster, it also brings the viewer into close emotional contact with three men who survived the tragedy and offers deep insight into how it changed their lives.

From Dust originally aired as part of Link TV's Doc-Debut series. 

LEARN MORE:
For more information, visit the film’s website.
Watch Link TV's interview with the director Dhruv Dhawan.