Sikkimese filmmaker Tribeny Rai’s upcoming second feature, A Chronicle of Minor Things (working title), won two awards at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan, South Korea, on October 13, 2026. The project received the APM Busan Award, which carries a cash prize of about $15,000, and the Sørfond Award, which offers an invitation to the Sørfond Pitching Forum, including travel and accommodation for one delegate.
According to the official Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) announcement, the APM jury recognised the project’s original story, narrative structure and subtle treatment of a social issue. The project was among 30 selected from a record 604 submissions received from 48 countries, marking an important international recognition for Rai’s developing film.
Two International Awards
The awards were announced at the first integrated ACFM Awards Ceremony on October 13, held at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre in South Korea. The Asian Project Market (APM), part of ACFM, connects filmmakers with industry professionals and provides a platform for projects seeking development and production opportunities.
The APM Busan Award is funded by Busan Metropolitan City and provides around $15,000 to a selected project from the official line-up. The Sørfond Award offers an eligible project an invitation to the Norwegian South Film Fund’s pitching forum, with a return ticket and accommodation for one delegate. The official BIFF announcement stated that A Chronicle of Minor Things received both honours. The jury also recognised the project’s distinctive landscape and themes, noting their potential to appeal to international audiences.
A Story Of Power
A Chronicle of Minor Things is a developing feature that explores power and social structures in village life. According to published reporting on the project, its premise centres on a 15-year-old girl found hanging from a tree. Before her body can be brought down, villagers argue over which jurisdiction the death falls under because the tree’s roots and the branch from which the girl hangs lie in different areas.
The premise places a human tragedy at the centre of a dispute over boundaries and authority. Rai has described her interest in examining how power, money and politics shape ordinary life in a village. The film remains in development, and no release date has been confirmed in the sources consulted.
From Sikkim To Cinema
Rai is a filmmaker from Sikkim and an alumna of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, where she studied direction and screenplay writing. In an interview with BOMB Magazine, Rai explained that after completing her course in 2015, she returned to her village of Nandok in East Sikkim rather than moving to Mumbai like many of her batchmates.
She discussed how returning home brought her face to face with the expectations of her community and influenced her approach to filmmaking. Her work draws on the social and cultural realities of the Eastern Himalayas, bringing people and experiences from the region into stories that can reach wider audiences.
Building On Her Debut
Rai’s debut feature, Shape of Momo, is a Nepali-language film set in Sikkim. It follows Bishnu, a woman who returns to her Himalayan village after leaving her job in Delhi. The story explores her relationships with family members, the expectations placed on women and her efforts to shape an independent life. The film premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in 2025 and was subsequently screened in the Indian Panorama section of the 56th International Film Festival of India.
In interviews, Rai has discussed the importance of telling stories from Sikkim, a region she believes is often represented through its landscape rather than the lives of its people. Her debut brought these experiences to the screen, while her upcoming second feature continues to explore the social realities of village life.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Tribeny Rai’s international recognition highlights the importance of supporting filmmakers whose stories emerge from communities that receive limited representation in mainstream cinema. Films rooted in local experiences can help preserve cultural perspectives while encouraging audiences to question social structures and understand lives beyond their own.
Recognition at international film markets can also create opportunities for regional stories to find wider audiences. Sustained support through film education, funding, production and distribution remains important for independent filmmakers.
How can India’s film industry and audiences do more to bring stories from regions such as Sikkim to the forefront?
Read More: She Feared The Pool At 6, Reached The Olympics At 14: Dhinidhi Desinghu’s Inspiring Journey
