Guwahati: Assamese feature film Village Rockstars has bagged the Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) Award in the 65th National Film Awards for 2017 announced on Friday.
This is the second Assamese film after 30 years of Jahnu Barua-directed Halodhia Soraye Baodhan Khai to bag Swarna Kamal which is given to the best feature film in the country.
Under this category, both the producer and the director are given Rs 2.5 lakh each. Director Rima Das is also the producer of the film.
The film also bagged best child actress award (Bhanita Das), best location sound recordist (Mallika Das) and best editing (Rima Das).
Das, who is in Los Angeles for the US premiere of the film, said: "I am speechless. I have no words to express my joy. It's a huge recognition for us! My sincere gratitude to the National Awards team for awarding the film, to my parents and my family who stood with me all this time and the Almighty for giving me strength to make Village Rockstars! It brings immense joy that a film from Assam made it to this level after 30 years! Massive thank you to my Village Rockstars family, thank you to everyone. I am elated, ecstatic and very happy."
After its initial screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September last year, the film created ripples by winning the Golden Gateway Award for best film in the Mumbai Film Festival where it was screened a month later. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal described Das's achievement as "a proud moment for Assam."
"Congratulations and keep it up!" he tweeted.
"This is a very good news for the Assamese film industry that after 30 years another film has bagged the Swarna Kamal and that, too, from a woman director who does not have professional training in filmmaking," said film critic Arun Lochan Das.
Chairman of Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio, Pabitra Margherita has congratulated Das and the entire team of film Village Rockstars on their "grand achievement".
Village Rockstars is about 10-year-old Dhunu, who lives in a remote village in Assam, where she is given the opportunity to pursue her dreams of forming a band and making music in a patriarchal society because she is brought up by a non-conformist mother.
Rima shot the film entirely on her own because of lack of funds. She describes Village Rockstars as a "very personal" film close to her heart. When she was shooting her debut film Antardrishti (Man with Binoculars) in her native village Kalardiya, she had come in touch with the children there and decided to tell their story on celluloid.
The National Film Awards will be presented by the President on May 3.
Utpal Barpujari-directed and Children's Film Society produced Ishu was selected as the best Assamese film. The film takes a look at the inhuman practice of witch-hunting through the eyes of an innocent child whose favourite aunt is branded a witch by the evil village bej (quack) who conspires with another aunt to do so.
The best book on cinema award was given to Matmagi Manipur - The first Manipuri Feature Film, authored by Bobby Wahengbam. "The book provides a vivid account of the socio-political scenario in which Manipur's regional cinema was born. The book denotes a compassionate account of the dreams, challenges, preparation, execution and success of the team involved. The critical analysis of the film makes it more praiseworthy and insightful," the jury said.
