Documentary based on Sarita Devi wins Best Documentary award in Mumbai Film Festival

The documentary named ‘I Rise’, based on the life of seven time Asian Championship medallist, boxer Sarita Devi has bagged the award in the Best Documentary category at the 9^th Mumbai Short International Film Festival (MSIFF) 2020, on Sunday.

Directed by national award winning filmmaker, Borun Thokchom and produced by Films Division Mumbai, the 52-minute documentary was selected from the a list of 19 documentaries – four each from India and Spain, three from USA, two each from Germany and France, one each from Croatia, Brazil, Hungary and Poland, which were nominated for the award.

Filmmaker Borun Thockman credited the entire team and thanked Sarita Devi’s family for their co-operation.

I feel happy for the recognition. But I wanted to give credit to the entire team of I Rise and Sarita’s family for their full cooperation,” said Thockman.

The documentary, I Rise, begins from the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon where Sarita Devi refused to accept her bronze medal after protesting against the match decision and goes on to cover the life of India’s ace boxer.

I Rise had earlier bagged the award in Best Film on Women Outstanding Achievement during the 2020 Tagore International Film Festival at West Bengal.

The MSIFF was started in 2012 and saw a total of 392 films from around 55 different countries competing for awards in various categories.

Read also: ‘I Rise’ — Documentary on Sarita Devi’s life releasing soon for public