BY KAUSHIK NATH
Kenny Basumatary’s Bibo Binanao — My Three Sisters will be screened at the Marché du Film 2026, the business wing of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, making it the only film from Assam among three Northeast Indian entries at the prestigious event.
The Marché du Film, held annually in May at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, is the world’s largest international film market. It draws over 15,000 industry professionals every year to negotiate distribution deals, production rights, and financing for films from across the globe. A presence at the Marché is widely regarded as a significant step for any film seeking international reach.
Bibo Binanao — My Three Sisters is a dramedy-semi-biography produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC). The film follows Donna, a 21-year-old from rural Assam and the youngest of four sisters, whose life becomes a constant test of resilience. Her eldest sister Anima is widowed and left to raise two children alone, while her second sister Yoko is trapped in an abusive marriage. Donna also battles a failed chicken farm, an ill newborn, a malaria scare, and personally faces a dead-end relationship and scarce job opportunities, all while serving as the quiet backbone of her family.
The film stars Pansy Brahma as the youngest sister Mizi, alongside Sangeeta Brahma, Helina Daimary, and Mithinga Narzary as the other three sisters. Rubul Boro, widely recognised for playing antagonists in Bodo cinema, takes on a notably different role in the film. Bibo Binanao had its premiere at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
The film is significant not only for its storytelling but for what it represents. Bodo language cinema has had limited exposure beyond Assam, and its arrival at Cannes, even within the market section, marks a rare moment of visibility for a community whose cultural output has largely remained regional. Kenny Basumatary’s choice to frame the story around four women navigating hardship without resorting to victimhood gives the film a quiet dignity. The NFDC’s backing lends it institutional weight, though the real test will come from whether the Cannes platform translates into international distribution and wider audiences for Bodo cinema.
Kenny Basumatary’s other film, Local Bhoot, is scheduled for release in Assam in September 2026.
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