GUWAHATI: National Award-winning filmmaker Rima Das from Assam has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, placing her among 487 artists and executives worldwide selected for this honour.
This invitation marks a significant milestone for a filmmaker from the Northeast.
Academy members play a crucial role in various activities, including voting for the Oscars.
Das joins other notable Indian invitees, such as actor Shabana Azmi, director SS Rajamouli, cinematographer Ravi Varman, director Anand Kumar Tucker, costume designers Rama Rajamouli and Sheetal Sharma, documentary filmmakers Nisha Pahuja and Hemal Trivedi, producer Ritesh Sidhwani, and choreographer Prem Rakshith.
A self-taught filmmaker, Das is no stranger to the Oscars, having had her film Village Rockstars submitted as India’s official entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category in 2019.
Her latest feature film, Tora’s Husband, has also received international acclaim and won five trophies at the Filmfare Awards Assamese 2024.
Last year, the Academy invited 398 artists and executives, including directors Mani Ratnam, Karan Johar, and Shaunak Sen; composer M.M. Keeravani, cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar, production designer Sabu Cyril, and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur.
The 2024 class is notable for its diversity – 44% identify as women, 41% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 56% are from 56 countries and territories outside the United States.
In comparison, last year’s class included 40% women and 34% from underrepresented communities, with 52% hailing from 50 countries and territories outside the USA.
