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Six hours of the journey for an education, but they believed it was worth it: Green Blackberries Director Prithviraj Das Gupta

Panaji: Addressing a press conference at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) the independent filmmaker and film editor Prithviraj Das Gupta talked about how he got the idea of his film Green Blackberries which is about child education and their struggles.

He said, “They had to walk first and then row the boat, and later on they would have to take some other vehicles to reach the school. Which meant 6 hours of the journey for them to get an education. In the schools, we found out that there was only one room and each bench was a class. Yet, it was inspiring to meet the kids and adults with whatever knowledge they have, who knew the value of education. There we felt that it needed to be carried forward. That hope and passion brought the story out. Thus originated the idea for Green Blackberries.”

Talking about the children in the remote villages in North Eastern India, whose story the film tells. He said, “The film tries to portray the struggles and obstacles faced by children for gaining an education, in the remote villages in North-Eastern India and how they try to overcome that.”

As per Prithviraj, “The film, set in the backdrop of picturesque North Eastern villages, tries to depict how, even after having the passion to study further, nature becomes a villain for these children. It’s a real story inspired from many other real stories.”

On being asked about children’s struggles and the absence of teachers in schools, Prithviraj said that schools in these regions are often being set up in places that are difficult for people to reach. He however expressed the hope that “The brick has already been laid. People there know the value of education and change will happen gradually.”

Green Blackberries is a multilingual film in Nepali, Bengali, and Reang – the languages of some tribals in the North East. VA Films has produced the movie and it premiered at the Dharamshala International Film Festival.

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