Rima Das' National Award-winning feature Village Rockstars has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards. But Rima Das is having trouble getting finance for the film. In an interview with The Quint, the filmmaker spoke about needing to raise funds to promote her film on an international scale.
Q: When did you realise that you need a specific amount of money to promote your film for the Oscars?
Rima: When they announced our official entry, that time itself the jury of the Film Federation (they handle everything about Oscar selection) - so Oscar selection committee and jury members - they said that we need money, around Rs 3 crore to promote the film.
You also mentioned that the government of Assam has promised you Rs 1 crore.
Rima: It is not promised, that is the thing. I have already received the money, Rs 1 crore. I even tweeted thanking the Assam government for their huge support and even they are also trying to help me get money from the corporate sector. So they are trying, we are in talks with them. We have already hired a publicist who has already started the work.
Is there any other way that you think people can help you?
Rima: The thing is that, in Assam there are many organisations that want to help. They tweeted, they messaged, they called me. So that is the reason we tried in a very kind of moderate way. I just wrote a status that if anyone can help. Not on social media, for people from all over India. From that till now I have received around Rs 5 lakh in my account. So the thing is that actually, we need big help you know. Now we don’t have time. We already hired a publicist and I’m going in the first week of November for one month or maybe one and a half month to Los Angeles to promote, arrange screenings and everything. And we need advertisements in Hollywood reporter, Variety. You know and many other things, small small things, for better visibility. So that members of the Foreign Film category can watch the film. So we are doing our best and we have already started. Honestly, I’m not keen on doing crowdfunding because it is less time and I’m not sure how much money I’m going to get because we don’t need Rs 10 lakhs, Rs 5 lakhs or Rs 20 lakhs. Whatever Rs 5 lakh rupees came, I’m just taking it as a token of love and blessings.
Because this is the official entry from India. I think Indian Government should support, that is what I’m saying and if some corporate sector can back up. I’m not asking Bollywood stars, because they are not responsible.
Don’t you think that the film industry, not just Bollywood, even down South, the film industry as a whole can help you?
Rima: Honestly speaking, I cannot demand. Bollywood people, it is their individual choice, if they want to back it up or no. But as a responsible director to Village Rockstars, I feel that the government should come up. Bollywood stars helping or Bollywood producers helping, that is an emotional thing. But I’m looking at it from logic. To see that the government has an art and culture department and they know that this is very independent movie which has been selected as an official entry into the Oscars, they should support it, that is what I’m saying. And I’m happy that Assam Government is helping. It is a big push, honestly speaking. See I’m very happy that an independent film becoming a mainstream film. I’m very happy.
People are really supporting me, people are really coming up. So many people tweeting and messaging, they want to help. The thing is that I’m not giving up, because I think if government does everything, they can support then it becomes easier because we don’t have time. I had a personal meeting with the CM of Assam and other officials, they are also trying their best and let’s appreciate that. Of course, I need more money, that is why I tweeted that it is a big push but we need to raise more money so we are trying.
But has anybody from the industry come out and shown support?
Rima: Manish Mudra the producer of Drishyam, he tweeted and he messaged me also that he will help me with 10 lakh rupees. Like him if someone comes and helps that’s okay but I am not appealing because that is not right.
The coming-of-age film follows Dhunu, a girl who grows up in poverty and learns to fend for herself. However, that does not prevent her from following her dream of forming a rock band and owning a guitar someday.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat, Alia Bhatt-starrrer Raazi, Rani Mukerji fronted Hichki, Shoojit Sircar's October, Love Sonia directed by Tabrez Noorani, Tumbbad, Halkaa, Kadvi Hawa and latest release Manto were part of the list of 28 films submitted for next year's Oscars.
Satyajit Ray was honoured with Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award for his film Pather Pachali but no Indian film has ever won an Oscar till now. The last Indian film that made it to the final five in the Best Foreign Film category list was Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan in 2001.
Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay (1989) are the other two Indian movies to have made it to the top five.
Hindi film Newton by director Amit Masurkar and starring Rajkummar Rao was India's official submission to the Oscars last year.
(With PTI inputs)
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