The selection of two out of eight scripts from Assam filmmakers Prakash Deka and Utpal Borpujari carries great hope for cinema in the region. The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), on July 12, made an announcement on the selected projects for the 14th edition of NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab, and two Assamese filmmakers have managed to secure a spot each among the eight chosen scripts.
As per reports, ‘An Unreal Story’ by Utpal Borpujari and ‘Gos Kota Manuh (The Woodcutter)’ by Prakash Deka features in the list.
“Hugely excited that An Unreal Story, my feature script based on a true incident narrated by Manoj Kr Goswami, has been selected for the prestigious NFDC Film Bazaar Screenwriters’ Lab 2021,” National Award-winning film critic-turned-filmmaker Utpal Borpujari wrote in a tweet.
“I am delighted to make it to the list as this is my first attempt and my first script to be recognised by the NFDC,” said Prakash Deka, who had earlier directed the National Award Winning Fireflies (Jonaki Porua).
The scripts selected from other parts of India include – Construction by Akshay Indikar (Marathi), Goonga Pehelwan (The Deaf Wrestler) by Vivek Chaudhary (Haryanvi, Hindi), Mandra Saptak (The Lower Octave) by Kshama Padalkar (Marathi), Notun Gur (A New Sweetness) by Deyali Mukherjee (Bengali), Oranges Smell Like Turpentine by Sasha Singh (Hindi, English) and Rekhtaby by Himadri Parmar (Gujarati).