Assamese film 'Hiraeth' selected for 16th Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2025
The film fest is set to be held from September 14 to 21, 2025.
A still from Assamese feature film Hiraeth.
Assamese feature film Hiraeth, written, shot and directed by Chow Partha Borgohain, has been officially selected for the in-competition category at the 16th Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF), to be held from September 14 to 21, 2025.
The world premiere of the film will be held at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival alongside acclaimed works from across the globe, with the festival's opening night red carpet set for September 19 in downtown Chicago and the closing ceremony on September 21.
Shot primarily in Dibrugarh, Hiraeth is a social realism drama that follows the journey of Pori, a village woman whose life is upended by a devastating flood, forcing her and her husband to move to the city.
There, they face the brutal realities of socio-economic inequality, corruption and explotation. Starring Meghali Kalita, Ashim Kumar Sharma and Atanu Mahanta in key roles the 100-minute Assamese-language film explores the resilience of those who live on society's margins and the injustices they endure.
Reacting to the selection, director Chow Partha Borgohain said: "I am very overwhelmed and happy by the recognition and love this film is receiving. The story we have tried to tell is based on the harsh realities faced by those who are of ten ignored, they are the people who live on the margins, whose sweat and pain silently acts as a food for the progress of others at times."
"This film is for all those who struggle with dignity and are never seen. Through Pori's journey, I only hope to spark reflection on the inequalities we have come to accept as normal. Keep loving, keep working hard. Try not to hate anyone life is too short, so make every moment count and live every moment to the fullest."
Other cast in the film includes Dipankar Sharma, Archana Bezbaruah, Vishwa Kinkar Baru- ah, Hemanta Rajkonwar, Smritirekha Chetia Handique, Pradipta Pran Bhattacharya, Rimjhim Deka, Rumi Sharma Pathak and Bhoir- ab Phukan.
The Chicago South Asian Film Festival, one of the largest of its kind in North America, celebrates diverse stories from the subcontinent and the diaspora, combining film screenings with Q&As, panel discussions, and cultural events.