Mumbai: Self-taught filmmaker Ajitpal Singh is in happy mood these days. His debut feature as a writer-director, ‘Fire In The Mountains’, is slated to have a world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival 2021 in the ‘World Cinema Dramatic Competition’.
The movie, which is produced by Jar Pictures, is the only Indian film selected among 10 films in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, the section which presents the emerging filmmaking talents around the world who offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. The festival, which is set to take the digital route this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held between January 3 to February 3.
‘Fire In The Mountains’, is an intense drama is about a mother who toils to save money to build a road in a remote Himalayan village so that she can ferry her wheelchair-bound son for physiotherapy, while her husband believes that a shamanic ritual (Jagar) is the remedy.
Ajitpal Singh |
Singh says, “It’s been a difficult year for all of us and I am so glad that it’s ending on a positive note with hopes of vaccine for everyone and on a personal note, I am super thrilled that my first feature, Fire In The Mountains is making its World Premiere at the prestigious Sundance in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Sundance has been a dream since 2012 when my first script was selected for Sundance Mumbai Mantra Script lab and I experienced their love and warmth for independent artists. This dream would have remained a dream if my producer Ajay Rai had not shown faith in me.”
The film stars Vinamrata Rai in the central role of the mother along with Chandan Bisht and Sonal Jha, introducing first time young actors from Uttarakhand, Harshita Tewari and Mayank Singh Jaira. The Jar Pictures production, Fire In The Mountains is produced by Ajay Rai and Alan McAlex and co-produced by Amit Mehta and Mauli Singh.
