Rima Das Wins NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Directing for Village Rockstars 2

Indian filmmaker Rima Das has been awarded the New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) Award for Excellence in Directing 2025 for her latest feature film, Village Rockstars 2, marking another major international recognition for the Assam-based director.

Das is among 11 distinguished international filmmakers honoured by NYWIFT this year for their outstanding contributions to cinema, underscoring her growing stature in the global independent film landscape.

Expressing her gratitude, Rima Das said the recognition held deep personal and creative significance. “Receiving this honour from New York Women in Film and Television for Village Rockstars 2 is deeply meaningful to me. I see this not just as a personal achievement, but as a reaffirmation that stories from India told with honesty and lived experience can travel across borders,” she said. “My cinematic journey and ambitions are expansive, and this support strengthens my belief in building a more inclusive global cinema.”

Founded to support and amplify women’s voices in the entertainment industry, New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) is one of the most respected nonprofit organisations in the United States. The organisation works across film, television, and digital media, fostering a global ecosystem based on the principle of “filmmakers supporting filmmakers.” NYWIFT CEO Cynthia López has described the organisation as a sustained community that nurtures women’s creative careers over time.

Rima Das joins an acclaimed list of international honourees this year, including Suzannah Herbert (Natchez), Cherien Dabis (All That’s Left of You), Shonali Bose (A Fly on the Wall), Rachel Immaraj (An Unquiet Mind), Elena Neuman (Looking UP), Kerstin Karlhuber (After All), Lisa Cunningham (Me Period), Jackie Quinones (Miles Away), Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni (Cutting Through Rocks), and Rachel Israel (The Floaters).

The latest honour further cements Rima Das’s reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Indian independent cinema. Known for her deeply personal, naturalistic storytelling rooted in lived realities, Das’s films often emerge from India’s Northeast and have consistently resonated with audiences and institutions worldwide.

This recognition further reinforces Rima Das’s standing as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Indian independent cinema, whose films, rooted in lived realities, continue to resonate with audiences and institutions worldwide while expanding the global presence of stories emerging from India’s Northeast.

Also Read: Rima Das Wins Best Director Award at New York Indian Film Festival