Bangkok-based Diversion has acquired world sales rights for Indian filmmaker Rima Das‘ acclaimed “Village Rockstars 2,” which has its European premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.
The film is a follow-up to Das’ 2017 festival darling. The original “Village Rockstars” captivated audiences with its tale of 10-year-old Dhunu’s quest to own a guitar and form a rock band in her remote Assamese village. It played at Toronto and San Sebastian and won the best film prize at India’s National Film Awards. Other accolades included those at the Cairo and Mumbai festivals. It was India’s entry for the Oscars.
The sequel, which fast-forwards seven years from the original, finds teenage Dhunu at a crossroads between her childhood dreams and the harsh realities of adulthood. It had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in 2024, where it won the Kim Jiseok Award. It will have its European Premiere at the Berlinale’s Generation 14plus Competition.
The film is written, directed, produced, shot and edited by Das. It is co-produced by Fran Borgia, Jaya Das, Yao Chen and Cao Yu, a collaboration between Flying River Films, Akanga Film Asia and Bad Rabbit Pictures. The cast includes Bhanita Das, Basanti Das and Manabendra Das.
“’Village Rockstars 2′ is an independent film in its own right, but as a sequel to our most cherished and successful project, “Village Rockstars,” it holds a special place in my heart and requires careful handling,” Das told Variety. “We are thrilled about this collaboration. Diversion has a deep sensitivity for independent and arthouse films, which aligns perfectly with our vision.”
Diversion’s current slate features several women-led films including Bhutanese filmmaker Dechen Roder’s “I, The Song”; “Second Chance,” by India’s Subhadra Mahajan; and Taiwanese film “A Journey in Spring” by Wang Ping-Wen and Peng Tzu-Hui.
“What we found to be particularly noteworthy is how films by women filmmakers are having a strong presence in our current lineup. In fact, the majority of our recent acquisitions are films directed by women, and this is not a result of deliberate planning at all, but just something that happens in a totally organic way, which is something we found especially gratifying,” Diversion’s Mai Meksawan told Variety.
