Dashrath Hansdah watches a clip from his movie. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, May 30: For the first time, a Santhali movie is going to be screened at an international film festival.

Sitanala Re Sagun Supari, which won an award at the Santhali Film Fare festival, would be screened at the second edition of Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival, between June 5 and 8.

The movie directed by Dashrath Hansdah would be the first Santhali film from India to be screened at an international platform.

A large gathering of eminent producers, filmmakers and people from different parts of the globe would be present at the international three-day mega film festival being organised by the Indigenous Films Archive (IFA).

Buoyed by the success of the first Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival, the organisers have put in more efforts to ensure that the event becomes a hit this year, too.

The festival aims at promoting and preserving indigenous culture, customs and skills.

Significantly, Nepal has a sizeable Santhali population, though no Santhali film has been made in the foreign country till date. They would be the target audience of the movie to be screened at the festival.

“They did not even know that we make Santhali films in this part of our country,” said Hansdah, the maker of the movie who has also acted in it. “But this time they have shown interest in screening the movie and we are sure we will be able to do justice to our invitation.”

Anand Besra, the director of the Pandit Raghunath Academy of Santhali Cinema and Art (RASCA), confirmed that this would be the first time a Santhali movie has hit foreign shores through such a medium.

“This will definitely be the first Santhali movie to be screened at an international film festival,” Besra said over phone from Calcutta. “It is indeed an honour.”

The movie would be screened under the banner of Pandit Raghunath Academy of Santhali Cinema and Art.

Recently, RASCA had organised the first Santhali Film Fare Awards in the city. At the function, quality work in Santhali cinema was recognised. Sitanala Re Sagun Supari, a love story, was on the honour list.

Now, work is on to include subtitles in the film, without which it cannot travel to the international platform. “We will soon finish the subtitle work,” said Hansdah, who has roped in a team of experts in English to help him.

Hansdah has to his credit a long list of movies — both as actor and director.