Biography

Rima Das (born May 13, 1981) is Indian filmmaker from the North Eastern state of Assam. Her films Village Rockstars and Bulbul Can Sing premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, and were screened at over 120 prestigious film festivals around the world winning over 70 Awards including the National Film Awards in India, Village Rockstars was also India's Official Entry to the Academy Awards 2019. She has donned multiple hats of writer, director, producer, cinematographer, editor for her projects.

Be it an elderly man who discovers a new world (Man with the Binoculars), the little girl from an impoverished background who dream of having a guitar (Village Rockstars) or three teenagers exploring their identities and sexuality in the face of patriarchy (Bulbul Can Sing) or a family man struggling to keep his business and personal life together amidst the Covid-19 pandemic - Rima Das is known for making indigenous and realistic stories that explore complicated relationships, finding purpose, coming of age and life amidst nature.

"As a little girl, I would stroll through the village on my way back from school, playing in the rivers, climbing trees, plucking fruits from bushes, and return home with my dress soiled and buttons broken. The fear of the scolding at home didn't stop the curiosity of that innocent mind. Growing up in a small town, I always thought films were to be watched, not made. Becoming a film-maker was never remotely on my radar", Rima Das says.

While struggling in Mumbai for several years to become an actor, she discovered world cinema and fell in love with it. She believed she could also make her own films, even with her limited means. On returning to her home town in Assam, she realized what she was missing living in a city. Unfazed by the fears and struggles, she picked her DSLR and make Village Rockstars single-handedly, which went on to establish Rima Das' credentials as an avante-garde filmmaker.

GQ India named Rima Das as one of the Most Influential Young Indians of 2018. She is also one of the Brand Ambassadors of Toronto International Film Festivals 'Share Her Journey' campaign that champions the cause of gender equality in cinema. She has been on the jury of Berlin International Film Festival Generation 14plus, Mumbai International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and Zlin Film Festival for Children & Youth.
- IMDb mini biography by: Brenna Ribeiro

Rima Das is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer known for her independent, deeply humanistic films that have gained international acclaim. She is best known for her breakthrough feature Village Rockstars (2017), which was India’s Official Entry to the Academy Awards in 2019.

Das was born and raised in Chhaygaon, a small village in Assam, India. Her father, Bharat Das, was the founder and headmaster of a girls’ school, and her mother, Jaya Das, ran a printing press and a bookstore in the village. Growing up in this creative and educational environment surrounded by rivers, fields and folk traditions, she developed a deep connection with nature, storytelling and the rhythms of rural life, elements that would later define her cinematic voice.

A self-taught filmmaker, Das began her career making short films before writing, directing, producing and even shooting her own features.

Her debut feature Village Rockstars (2017) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at major festivals including San Sebastián, Hong Kong and Cairo. The film’s tender portrayal of a young girl’s dream to start a rock band in rural Assam earned widespread critical praise and numerous awards.

Her second feature Bulbul Can Sing (2018) also premiered at TIFF and received a Special Mention at Berlinale Generation 14plus. The film continued her exploration of adolescence, friendship and freedom in a changing rural landscape.

With Tora’s Husband (2022), Das turned her focus to adulthood and emotional fragility, portraying the quiet resilience of ordinary people during the pandemic. The film premiered at TIFF and later traveled to Busan, Osaka, Sydney, Kolkata and Minneapolis St. Paul.

Her latest feature Village Rockstars 2 (2024), an India Singapore China co-production, premiered at the Busan International Film Festival where it won the Kim Jiseok Award, before its European premiere at Berlinale 2025.

Das’s films have been screened at over 140 international film festivals and have won more than 70 awards. Her work is recognized for its simplicity, authenticity and the poetic blending of personal and universal emotions.

She has also contributed to several international anthologies including For Each Other in Neighbours (2019) produced by Jia Zhangke, Sunshine Dreamers in Kids and Glory (2019) produced by Lu Chuan, Emma in My Melbourne (2024) supported by VicScreen and Screen Australia, and Coconut Dreams produced by RSVP and Flying Unicorn Entertainment.

Rima Das is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch, Class of 2024) and serves as a Brand Ambassador for TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign which promotes gender equity in cinema. She has also served on juries at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Berlinale Generation 14plus, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Mumbai International Film Festival and Zlín Film Festival for Children and Youth.
- IMDb mini biography by: Brenna Ribeiro