Film with a cast of over 80 people with disabilities to release worldwide in November

One Little Finger, a film that has made history with a cast of over 80 children and adults with disabilities, will release worldwide across digital platforms on 16 November. Directed by Assam-born filmmaker Rupam Sarmah, the film was in the race for the prestigious Academy Awards or Oscars this year.

Best Film, Best Original Song, Best Original Score. It’s rare when a film about disability gets nominated in three important categories at the Academy Awards. One Little Finger, directed by Assam-born filmmaker Rupam Sarmah, was in the race for all three at the Oscars this year.

The film, which has made history for a cast of over 80 children and adults with disabilities, will release worldwide across digital platforms on 16 November 2020.

One Little Finger promotes inclusion

One Little Finger is a narrative feature film in English with the theme ‘Ability in Disability. Written and produced by Sarmah, it is based on real-life stories and challenges of people with disabilities. It has disabled people performing alongside local and international award-winning actors.

It was quite challenging to start with unknowns as we had many children and young adults with various disabilities. Many people believe that disabled people are a burden on society, and they avoid them because they do not know how to act around them. Never underestimate their abilities. It opened my eyes. – Rupam Sarmah, Writer-Director, One Little Finger

One Little Finger is about an American neurologist who comes to India to study music therapy. She ends up helping people with disabilities by bringing them together through music.

Kolkata-based Sayomdeb Mukherjee plays the lead role of a radio jockey in the film. Sayomdeb, who is better known as Den, has a rare genetic disorder called dopa-responsive dystonia and uses a wheelchair. “I play the part of a radio jockey who is leading an independent life with a disability”, says Sayomdeb.

Sarmah reached out to Sayomdeb in 2012. “I was hosting a radio show on ABP at the time and Rupam came down to Kolkata. I was pleasantly surprised by his idea. He kept in touch after going back to the United States and over time we put together a team for the film”.

Sayomdeb calls One Little Finger a ‘symbol of love’. “The film challenges the myth that disabled people cannot contribute or are unable to enjoy life like others. It shows that all of us are equal participants in society”.

“I loved acting in a film which had so many disabled actors”, adds Abhinaya, who is deaf and hard of hearing. Abhinaya has acted in over 45 films in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. “I play the part of a person who rescues disabled people in distress and shot for the film in Assam. I loved every part of the experience”.

Major awards

One Little Finger has won 34 awards at film festivals around the world. It premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2019.It also won ‘Best Film for Inspiration Making a Global Impact Founders Award’ at the Riverside International Film Festival, Los Angeles. It was also selected for Jury Mention at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival.

One Little Finger has received the world’s largest honour for video and TV content with three awards in music, direction, and social awareness at the 40th annual Telly awards in the United States

Sarmah calls One Little Finger more than just a film. “It’s a movement to break the barriers of the stigma of the word disability. All it takes is a change in perspective, a change in our mindset! Disability is only what we perceive; ability is everything of what we believe!”

Watch in Sign Language

hhttps://youtu.be/v0KKPgwKrjk

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