Guwahati: Rima Das, the acclaimed Assamese filmmaker, has added another major international honour to her illustrious career, which further establishes her as a global cinematic figure. She has been awarded the New York Women in Film and Television Award (NYWIFT) for Direction for her latest film, "Village Rockstars 2," released in 2025. The award recognises this outstanding contribution to directing, and the distinctive Das's storytelling coules from her lived experiences and realism.
Rima Das is one of the 11 internationally acclaimed filmmakers this year. They have been selected for their outstanding contributions to cinema. Upon receiving the honour, Das expressed that the accolade was of immense significance to her both personally and professionally. In her words, the award is not an individual achievement but rather a recognition of truthful, experience-based Indian cinema which can go beyond borders and touch global audiences.
“Being recognised in this way only confirms that I should go on making smaller, more personal and meaningful works of world cinema,” she said, pointing out that the support she receives gives her the strength to keep telling stories that are grounded in truth and human experience.
The New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) is a non-profit organisation that is widely popular in the American entertainment industry. It is a leading institution that stands for and celebrates women who work in film, television, and digital media. NYWIFT Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Lopez referred to the organisation as one that brings filmmakers supporting filmmakers together, at the same time constructing a worldwide community that elevates women's creative voices.
Rima Das, through this award, is aligned with a prestigious group of international recognitions of excellence. Some of the names of this elite group are Susanna Herbert (Natchez), Cherien Dabis (All That Left of You), Sonali Bose (A Fly on the Wall), Russell Hemraj (An Unquiet Mind), Elena Newman (Looking Up), Kerstin Karlhuber (After All), Liza Cunningham (Me Period), Jackie Quinones (Miles Away), Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni (Cutting Through Rocks), and Russell Israel (The Floaters).
This new acknowledgement keeps shining a spotlight on Rima Das as a towering personality whose voice has a major impact not only on the Indian independent film scene but also on the global narrative. The films that she makes are generally very realistic and are often drawn from the stories of the Northeast of India. These films continue to resonate and garner acclaim at international festivals.