Assamese filmmaker Rima Das has done it again. Her latest feature, Not a Hero, has won the Best Indie Film Award at the 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), adding another international honour to a film that has already made its mark on the global festival circuit.

The win is especially significant for Das because it is her second Best Indie Film honour at IFFM. She previously won the same award in 2019 for Bulbul Can Sing.

With all five of her feature films having featured at the Melbourne festival, IFFM has become a recurring chapter in Das’ remarkable filmmaking journey.

A Film About Childhood, Freedom and Belonging

Not a Hero follows 11-year-old Mivan, who is sent from the city to stay in his ancestral village. What begins as an unfamiliar change of surroundings gradually becomes a transformative adventure. In the village, Mivan develops a bond with a distant aunt, a horse and a group of village children, embarking on a series of experiences that introduce him to a very different way of life.

Through Mivan's eyes, Das explores childhood freedom, imagination, friendship and the connection between children and nature. The film moves between the contrasting worlds of urban life and rural Assam, turning a child's journey into a gentle coming-of-age story about discovering belonging.

From Berlin to Melbourne

The Melbourne award comes just months after Not a Hero made its international debut at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2026. The film competed in the Generation Kplus section and received a Special Mention from the Generation Youth Jury, giving it an early boost on the international festival circuit. 

Its Australian premiere followed at the 17th edition of IFFM, which opened in Melbourne on August 13. Das was also nominated for Best Director, while lead actor Bhuman Bhargav Das received a nomination in the Best Performance (Male) category.

Another Milestone for an Acclaimed Filmmaker

Written, directed and edited by Das, Not a Hero is an India-Singapore production made by Flying River Films. Das, a two-time National Award winner, has built a distinctive body of work around childhood, identity, coming of age and humanity's relationship with nature.

Her films Village Rockstars, Bulbul Can Sing, Tora's Husband and Village Rockstars 2 have collectively travelled to more than 150 film festivals worldwide and won over 75 awards. In 2024, Das also joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

With Not a Hero now winning in Melbourne after earning recognition in Berlin, Rima Das' distinctly Assamese storytelling continues to find audiences—and acclaim—far beyond India's borders.