- NET Web Desk
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) today released the name of 6 films, including a Northeastern movie that will be screened at the coveted ‘Cannes Film Festival’.
Directed by Biswajeet Bora under the banner of Quatermoon Productions, the Mishing dialect film ‘Boomba Ride’ is a caustic humorous satire of corruption in India’s rural education system.
The plot centres around an 8-year-old child (newcomer Indrajit Pegu) who knows how to manipulate the game to his advantage.
Inspired by a true story, the film was shot in the state of Assam on the banks of the Brahmaputra River with a mostly nonprofessional cast.
Boomba, the only (unwilling) pupil at an impoverished school, is the protagonist of the novel. Teachers bribe the wonderfully stoic and recalcitrant boy to come up to class in order to retain their jobs and financing, while Boomba’s secret goal is to attend the better-funded school in town, where a slightly older and very gorgeous lady just happens to be a student.
“BOOMBA RIDE is a film that is very close to my heart. I was born and brought up in rural Assam. I have witnessed similar kinds of stories out there where the government run schools have no proper facilities that a school should have,” comments director Biswajeet Bora.
“I believe only by growing awareness and taking responsibility for educating our poor and underprivileged classes, can we make a change in a broader way. Making the film wasn’t easy as I shot with non-actors and also there were language barriers among us. However, I regard it as one of my best experiences to date because people around the village were very true and innocent, which really touched my heart. The location of the village was as pristine as it is seen and most interestingly we shot in real locations with local people. The protagonist Boomba is equally innocent and it is hard to believe that he hasn’t seen a theater hall in his life. I believe people will connect with this serio-comic narrative, which is nothing but a subtle representation of a real world that actually exists in today’s world.” – he further added.
Among the list, the other movies include – ‘Rocketry- The Nambi Effect’ directed by R Madhavan; ‘Godavari’ directed by Nikhil Mahajan; ‘Alpha Beta Gamma’ directed by Shankar Srikumar; ‘Dhuin’ directed by Achal Mishra; ‘Tree Full of Parrots’ directed by Jayaraj.
