Filmmaker and actor Rajni Basumatary is celebrating the success of her latest work, “Gorai Phakhri” or “Wild Swan,” a Bodo language film that addresses the issue of patriarchy in society.
The film has received a significant boost as it has been selected to premiere at the 42nd edition of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). Rajni hails from Assam’s Sonitpur district.
“Gorai Phakhri” is a 95-minute film that will have its premiere at VIFF on September 29, with a repeat screening scheduled for the following day. Produced by Jani Viswanath and co-produced by Rajni Basumatary under the banner of Manna Films, it is the only Indian feature film selected for VIFF this year.
Rajni expressed her excitement, saying, “I couldn’t have had a better festival than this to have our world premiere. VIFF is showcasing exceptional cinema in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.” She feels honoured to have her film alongside works by renowned directors like Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Marco Bellocchio, Deepa Mehta, and Hirokazu Kore-eda.
“Gorai Phakhri” explores interwoven stories of village women standing up against patriarchy in the armed conflict-ridden milieu of India’s Northeast region.
The film features Helina Daimary, Sangeena Brahma, Mithinga Narzary, and Anjali Daimari in key roles.
While there are no male characters physically present in the film, male voices are cleverly employed to represent certain characters.
Rajni expressed her gratitude to those who supported her in this project, including Jani Viswanath, the film’s music composer Avinash Baghel, cinematographer Chida Bora, and editor Tinni Mitra. She also acknowledged the contributions of Anjali Daimari, Shirish Jain, sound designer Amrit Pritam, DI/colourist Sujit Borah, Hemanti Sarkar, Hemant Gaba, and anthropologist Dolly Kikon in helping with the script.
Rajni, who made her directorial debut in 2014 with “Raag, The Rhythm of Love” and followed it with “Jwlwi – The Seed” in 2019, has not only excelled behind the camera but also acted in several successful films and series, including “Mary Kom,” “Shaukeens,” “III Smoking Barrels,” “Jwlwi – The Seed,” and the Netflix series “Rana Naidu.”
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