We do not and cannot exist in isolation, as Subhadra Mahajan’s stunning black-and-white debut feature reminds us.

Narrowing in on the experiences that build feelings of isolationism for young women in India today – shame surrounding female sexuality, unfulfilled dreams, parental expectations, the false connectedness of social media – Subhadra Mahajan’s Second Chance is a profoundly gentle and mindful exploration of the importance of community.

Set against the backdrop of the snowy Himalayan mountains, Second Chance follows a young woman, Nia (Dheera Johnson), after she retreats to her family’s empty summer home following a series of emotionally traumatic events.  Abandoned by her boyfriend and still reeling from the aftermath of an unwanted pregnancy as well as the failure of her most recent business endeavour, Nia is in emotional turmoil: content to lock herself away from the world. Her confusion, grief and anxiety can be felt from the film’s opening shot, where she stands completely alone surrounded by freezing, uncaring mountains.

After days of alternating between sleeping and obsessively checking her phone, the departure of the house’s caretaker Raju (Rajesh Kumar) forces Nia into contact with Raju’s elderly mother-in-law, Bhemi (phenomenally acted by Thakri Devi), her energetic grandson Sunny (Kanav Thakur), and an adorable lost kitten named Supercat. Through these unlikely friendships, Nia is reminded of the healing that comes from both caring for others and letting yourself be cared for.

Programmed as part of this year’s “Country Spotlight on India” at the Adelaide Film Festival (a spotlight that features directorial debuts from many different corners of India), Second Chance’s familiar story of a young woman’s search for belonging helps to highlight the diverse, multi-cultural fabric of a country that has often been homogenised in Western media.

The film has its funny moments, though.  Charmingly documented is Nia’s ritualistic struggle for cell service, the awkwardness of catching up with a high school ex-boyfriend, and the thrill of destroying a seven-year-old in a game of backyard cricket.

Director Subhadra Mahajan, who previously worked as an assistant director on Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) and Last Film Show (2021), composes Second Chance as a love letter to life, with every frame expressing the simple joys of living.

In Second Chance, Mahajan revels in the accumulation of ordinary moments, lingering on the beauty of the everyday through detailed movements and sounds. Characters weave through towering trees, live with the near-constant hum of mountain winds, and are occasionally confronted with the call of an extremely persistent owl.

While life in the Himalayas might appear far removed from the Australian day-to-day, at the core of Nia’s story are heartaches and anxieties that are all too familiar. Similarly, the film’s expression of the joy and sense of healing that comes from the communities that we build has universal appeal.

For anyone who enjoys stories centred on a young woman’s quest for understanding (the films of Greta Gerwig), the exploration of how we are changed by other people (the books of Sally Rooney) or the ways in which our hometowns shape who we become (the music of Noah Kahan), Second Chance is a must-see film and Mahajan’s career is one to watch.

Second Chance screens on Thursday 31 October at 6:15 pm at Palace Nova Eastend.