Why Kerala, Grampa?

Kerala is a small, densely populated state on the southwest coast of India. While it has an annual per capita income of only about $300, paradoxically it has a low infant mortality rate, one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and life expectancy on par with the developed world.

Kerala's citizens enjoy guaranteed affordable healthcare, free public education, and food programs that ensure that no one goes hungry.

One of the most progressive communities in the world, at the heart of the culture is a citizen activism that encompasses everything from economic fairness, education, and democracy to women's rights and environmental protection.

Portland filmmaker Tom Chamberlin journeyed to Kerala to explore this unusual culture, emerging with a personal perspective on the values and lessons to be learned as this small society wrestles with the challenges of globalization and attempts to preserve its hard-won values.