'Birds in the Dark' to premiere at Busan this October
Birds in the Dark (Hanere De Panchi), a Punjabi film exploring caste, class, sexuality, and gender, will make its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival this October.
Inspired by real-life farm labor protests in Punjab, director Shashank Walia and producer Hansal Mehta teamed up to bring these stories to life.
Actor-producer Singh quit job for film
Actor-producer Mauli Singh met Shashank and Reema through filmmaker Gurvinder Singh and was especially drawn to the film's focus on marginalized communities and strong female characters (she even quit her job for it).
Despite financial hurdles, Mehta stepped in with support after seeing early footage.
The film's selection at Busan is a big moment for Punjabi cinema, spotlighting stories that matter on an international stage.