Assamese film ‘Village Rockstars’ by Rima Das has won several prestigious awards including the Golden Gateway Award, Young Critics Choice Award and Gender Equality Award in Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star.
“I am grateful to MAMI team, the jury and especially my children. Most of the people thought I was mad as I worked on this film for for years but the children and my family believed in me,” an elated Das said.
The film entirely shot by Das herself along with village kids over three years of time.
It tells the story of a 10-year-old girl named Dhunu, the protagonist, who dreams of owning a guitar and forming a band, the Rockstars, with a group of local boys. Dhunu, however, has to fight gender stereotypes on what a girl should do amid poverty and other hostile conditions.
“Village Rockstars is a very personal film and close to my heart. It almost changed my life. Three years back, while shooting for my first film which I also shot in my old village Kalardiya, I came in regular touch with these village kids and decided to tell their story,” said Das.
Her cousin Mallika and the children acted in the film helped Das throughout. “Over the three years of shooting, ‘the kids’ became my own,” said Das.
Earlier, in September her film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in their 42nd edition.
“This year’s Diwali has turned to be an extremely special one for us. I’m over the moon. I couldn’t have asked for a better Diwali gift. I thank the universe and God to help me overcome every hardship while making ‘Village Rockstars’,” she added.
