Assamese film ‘Xhoixoboite Dhemalite’ (Rainbow Fields) by writer-director Bidyut Kotoky has won the best foreign film award at the Hollywood International Cinefest 2017 which was announced on Friday.
The film, which is made in the backdrop of Assam agitation in 1980s, features Victor Banerjee among others. It’s a redemption drama about children growing up in violent places witnessing brutality around them.
“In this film I’m talking about Assam as I know her better than any other place. But the story of Xhoihobote Dhemalite or Rainbow Fields could very well have been a story of children in conflict zone from any part of this world,” said an elated Bidyut.
The festival was held in Los Angeles on June 24-25 and received over 400 submissions and films from America, UK, France, China, South Korea, Cambodia and Hong Kong besides India.
Victor Banerjee, who plays an important role of a grandfather in the film said, “To share in Bidyut’s overdue international recognition and also participate in an artistic accomplishment related to my beloved land of Assam, makes this one of the proudest moments of my life and career”.
Renowned sound designer Amrit Pritam who was nominated for Oscar recently, has designed the sound for this film. “A beautiful movie, beautifully connected to my heart and soul…,” he said.
The film also stars Dipannita Sharma, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua among others. Camera is by Satya Prakash Rath and editing by Pallavi Kotoky. Original music is by Anurag Saikia. Title track is sung by Nilotpal Bora and Dipakshi Kalita.
The unique feature about Hollywood International Cinefest is its focus to reach the film to the people across the world through securing distribution for the film. This is a significant positioning, given that film makers winning awards in all films festivals in the world are often left to fend for themselves to reach their labour of love to people.
The film is produced by India Stories, a Mumbai-based production house and co-produced by Bidyut’s Dhruv Creative Productions and Kurmasana Kreates, a US-based production house. Mukul Gogoi is associate producer of the film.
