Assamese film Village Rockstars India's entry to Oscars

The film is written, directed, edited and co-produced by filmmaker Rima Das
Assamese film Village Rockstars India's entry to Oscars

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das’ coming-of-age drama Village Rockstars has been selected as India’s official submission to the Oscars. The film was picked from a list of 28 titles — which included films like PadmaavatRaaziLove Sonia,Kadvi HawaPadmanNude and Manto — by a 12-member committee of the Film Federation of India.

Written, directed, edited and co-produced by Das, Village Rockstars follows a ten-year old Assamese girl who grows up in poverty but dreams of owning a guitar and starting a band with her friends. The lead role is played by Rima’s niece Bhanita Das.

About the film's offical entry into the Oscars, Rima says,"I am extremely happy. I never imagined something like this could happen, I am celebrating the occasion at home with my family. Village Rockstars is the first Assamese film to make it to the Oscars. I am sure it will empower all the talented filmmakers in our industry, who think that an achievement like this is not possible. My niece, Bhanita (the lead actor in the film), is very delighted. She is a little too young to understand what exactly happened, but she knows that it is something very big."

Earlier this year, Village Rockstars was awarded the Best Feature Film ‘Swarna Kamal’ award at the 65th National Film Awards. The film was screened at Toronto, San Sebastian, Cannes and other film festivals in 2017.

The 91st Academy Awards will be head at the Dolly Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, California on February 24, 2019.

India’s previous few entries to the Oscars include Newton (2017), Visaranai (2016), Court (2015), Liar’s Dice (2014) andThe Good Road (2013). India so far has never won an award in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards. 

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