Assam filmmaker Rima Das bagged the Dublin Film Critics Circle Jury Award for Best Director for her film Bulbul Can Sing at the 2019 Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival.
Bulbul Can Sing is a visceral coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl, Bulbul, living in a village in Assam, fighting her way through love and loss as she figures out who she really is.
“I’m delighted to win Dublin Film Critics Circle Jury Award for Best Director for Bulbul Can Sing. It’s amazing that a film based in a small village in Assam,India is winning hearts in another part of the world. Thanks Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, Ireland for the honour,” Rima said in a statement.
The third Assamese feature of writer-director-producer Rima, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2018, followed by the South Asian premiere at the Busan International Film Festival and Indian premiere at the Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival.
The film won the Golden Gateway Award in the India Gold category at the 20th Jio MAMI Film Festival. It also got a Special Mention from the Generation 14plus International Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival this year.
Manoranjan Das, the actor who played the character of Suman in the film also bagged the Best Performance Award at the Singapore International Film Festival last year.
Bulbul Can Sing was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. It also had its European premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The film is about a teenage girl who lives in a village in Assam. The girl, who falls in love, is on the verge of discovering her teen life, but unfortunately due to a tragedy striking her best friend, she finds questioning herself and her love life.
Directed and written by Rima Das, the film stars Pakija Begum, Arnali Das, Manabendra Das, Manoranjan Das and Bonita Thakuria.
The Dublin International Film Festival was held in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland from February 20 to March 3.