Ajitpal Singh’s debut Hindi feature, Fire In The Mountains had its world premiere at the virtual Sundance Film Festival 2021. A satellite screening of the film was also organised at the Starlite Drive-in in Wichita.
The family drama feature is about a mother who toils to save money to build a road in a remote Himalayan village to take her wheelchair-bound son for physiotherapy. Her husband, however, believes that a shamanic ritual called Jagar can cure his son, and steals her savings.
The screening was followed by a Q&A session on Zoom with the filmmaker, lead actors Vinamrata Rai and Chandan Bisht, cinematographer Dominique Colin, editor Simon Price and co-producer Mauli Singh. Sound designer Mohandas VP, actress Sonal Jha, casting director Taran Bajaj, costume designer Karishma Apoorva Vyas, and first assistant director Himanshu Singh also joined in the conversation.
Fire in the Mountains is the only film from India and South Asia to be competing among the ten films selected in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section which presents emerging filmmaking talents from around the world who offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Speaking about the film’s selection at the festival, the writer-director Singh, said, "I have waited for this day for a decade. I started dreaming of making films when my first script was selected at Sundance Screenwriters Lab 2012. It has been a long journey but I am really happy to premiere my first feature at the Sundance Film Festival. I am grateful to Sundance Institute for being a constant support and motivation."
He added, "I feel like a father today who sends their child out in the world. With a heart full of love and wishes, I am ready to say goodbye to my film and hope it goes far and touches people’s hearts along the way.”
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival was held virtually from 28 January to 3 February.