World premiere of Ladakhi film 'Chuskit' in Italy

Ladakhi film "Chuskit" will have its world premiere at the Giffoni Film Festival in Italy.

Filmmaker Priya Ramasubban's movie will be competing for the Gryphon Award for the Best Feature Film in the Elements +6 category at the film gala, July 20-28.

"Chuskit" will be the first Indian film to be screened at the festival - regarded as one of the most popular children's movie galas - since Nagesh Kukunoor's "India Rainbow" and Shonali Bose's "Margarita, With A Straw" in 2015, a statement said.

Ramasubban, who has traveled the world for over fifteen years making films for National Geographic and Discovery and other foreign broadcasters, is excited.

"This is my first feature film, so when I started work on it I had no real goal except to do my best and tell the story as best as I could. The fact that this film has been selected at such a prestigious festival for children just makes my heart sing," she said.

Thousands of children and teenagers from 52 countries serve as film jurors in their various age groups for the seven competing categories at the festival.

Written and directed by Ramasubban herself, "Chuskit" follows the story of a sprightly young girl who has a very simple dream - going to school. Her dream is cut short when she is rendered a paraplegic after an accident.

She is confined to life indoors in the company of her strict grandfather, Dorje. How Chuskit continues to harbour hopes of school but Dorje tries to make her understand that school can't handle her needs, forms the rest of the story.

It is inspired by real-life events witnessed by Ramasubban's sister Vidya. She has worked with the differently-abled in Ladakh for almost a decade and was instrumental in sending Sonam, a nine-year-old with cerebral palsy to school despite the arduous terrain in her remote Himalayan village.

The film has been produced by Kaavya Films, Filmstoc, Blue Waters Motion Pictures and Victory Films in association with Wishberry Films.

--IANS

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