Director Jitank Singh Gurjar's debut Braj language feature "In Search Of The Sky" is the only Indian film among 55 global titles to be selected at the Toronto International Film Festival's centrepiece programme.
Some notable movies in the category include Richard Linklater's "Blue Moon", Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s "A Useful Ghost" and Shih-Ching Tsou’s "Left-Handed Girl".
Gurjar, who was first noticed with his acclaimed short "Basaan", said his new film is an attempt to explore how the mentally challenged are perceived and how they live perpetually on the brink of societal dejection. “'In Search of the Sky' ('Vimukt') is a truly independent film, deeply rooted in the rural sentiments of India and we are ecstatic to learn that our film is getting its world premiere at such a prestigious film festival like the Toronto International Film Festival at their 50th anniversary. This is a big push in the right direction for our film and it motivated me to tell more of such stories and to stay true to them,” he said.
Pooja Vishal Sharma, who wrote the story and produced by Canvas Creations in association with Summit Studios and Rihla Films, the Braj language film explores the lives of a poverty-stricken elderly couple who travels to Maha Kumbh with their mentally challenged son in the hope to cure him. The film stars local theatre actors Nikhil Yadav, Raghvendra Bhadoriya, and Meghna Agarwal.
"This humble, fiercely indie film was born out of a strong vision which got stitched together with sweat, tears and endless devotion of a small and tireless team. To see it soar is a quiet, beautiful miracle. Placing films like these alongside industry giants is deeply moving and motivating for all of us and I hope it inspires other such indie filmmakers too," the writer said.
Shelly Sharma, the cinematographer, creative director and executive producer of the film, said the TIFF selection is beyond her dreams.
"Ours is a simple story told with utmost honesty without any backing from an established production house or a starcast. This is a truly empowering moment for all of the independent filmmaking community in India and we are excited to see where this journey will take us." The centrepiece programme honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films.
The Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to run from September 4 to 14.
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