HT Correspondent
JORHAT, March 9: Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Rima Das said her passion for cinema lies in documenting contemporary life, art, culture and nature through films.
Speaking at an interaction programme titled Guest of the Month at the Jorhat Press Club on Monday, Das said she had been drawn to films since childhood.
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After completing her post-graduation, she moved to Mumbai to pursue acting but returned to her hometown Chhaygaon after struggling for several years to establish herself in the industry.
She then began making her own films, drawing inspiration from the everyday lives, folk culture and natural surroundings of rural Assam.
Das, who gained international recognition with her film Village Rockstars, recently released the second part of the film in theatres on March 2 and visited Upper Assam as part of its promotion.
She said she was deeply inspired by nature and the artistic and cultural traditions of local communities, which she attempts to portray through the daily experiences of ordinary people.
According to her, films that capture the routine activities and lifestyles of people serve as a form of documentation of a region’s heritage.
Das also stressed the importance of preserving contemporary art, culture and artefacts, noting that societies constantly undergo transformation over time.
Calling for dignity of labour, the filmmaker said no work should be considered small or insignificant and that all professions deserve respect.
Citing the example of daily wage earners, she said their children should never feel ashamed of their parents’ occupations, as every individual contributes to society and every life carries a story worth telling.
Das also recently received the Crystal Bear Special Mention for Best Film in the Generation Kplus category at the Berlin International Film Festival for her film Not a Hero.
She said filmmaking for her is not solely about commercial success but also about personal expression and inner fulfilment.
Speaking about her production house Flying River Films, Das said the name reflects her hope that her films would travel widely across the world like a river in motion, carrying stories rooted in the lives and landscapes of her homeland.
