Mumbai: Bollywood actor Amit Sadh’s ‘Ghuspaith Between Borders’, a tribute to late Pulitzer Awardee Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, is selected as India’s official entry at The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival 2023.
Amit said: “It’s been an enriching experience working on this project. ‘Ghuspaith’ is our tribute to photojournalists like Danish Siddiqui, who risk their lives to report to us the realities of the world. Having our film being selected for this festival is an absolute honour and I am hopeful that it will go far from here.”
Starring Amit in the lead, the film is inspired by the tragic demise of renowned Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, shedding light on the hidden complexities of the illegal cattle trade, cow smuggling, human trafficking, the refugee crisis, and ethnic cleansing.
Revolving around the life of an Indian photojournalist named Manav (played by Sadh) the short raises a poignant question: ‘Where do we draw the borders between humanity?’
Marking its 27th year, The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival has become a haven for independent filmmakers from throughout the world. In 2022, the Festival presented 383 films representing works that were shot and produced in 106 countries.
In 2002, RIFF was selected as a qualifying festival for Best Short Subject through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Listed amongst the top 10 Short Film Festivals in the United States, a total of 84 Films have been discovered via RIFF for The Academy Awards, of which 14 have been Oscar winners as of 2022. RIFF is also recognised by BAFTA as a qualifying film festival for the British Short Film Category.
Delighted about the film’s selection at The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival 2023, ‘Ghuspaith Between Borders’ Director Mihir Kalpana Lath said in an official statement: “As a filmmaker, I believed it to be vital to recount the narrative of our photojournalists, true heroes in every moment. Witnessing my debut film being selected for RIFF is a surreal experience beyond my expectations. The outpouring of affection is truly heartening, and I hope this marks the inception of numerous remarkable milestones to come.”
Presenter Shakun Batra said: “As makers of this really special film, our hearts are full and we look forward to present our short to the audiences from different parts of the world. For years, The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival has been bringing together cinema lovers from various cultures and it’s truly an honour to be here this year with our film.”
The 27th edition of the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from August 7 to 13.
‘Ghuspaith Between Borders’ is written and directed by Mihir Kalpana Lath, produced by Girish Arora and presented by Shakun Batra under his banner Jouska Films. The film co-stars Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Pamela Bhutoria and Korak Samanta in key roles.
–IANS