Kamshola, a documentary based on a 17-year-old environmentalist from Darjeeling, made a podium finish at the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF) held in New York City.

The film, made by the third-semester students of mass communication and journalism at Salesian College Sonada, has been directed by Anjana Rai.

The DDGYFF accepts submissions from filmmakers aged between 14 and 25 years from across the world.

This year there were 1,287 submissions from 110 countries. “The festival theme was I Have a Dream: Youth and Climate Change-Making Mother Earth Cleaner and Greener,” said Brother Dr Augustine Joseph, vice-principal, Salesian College Sonada.

Kamshola became the second runners-up in the global best film category at the festival held on October 17 and 18.

Dreams of Lagos (Nigeria), directed by Simon Ujor, stood first. The first runner-up was Entre Raices y Mareas (Ecuador), directed by Juan Amon.

Anjana and her team — Bhaskar Rai and Justin Baskey (cinematographers), Rex Nayak (assistant cameraperson), Yangchen Ramdasow (voiceover) and Rounak Lama (editor) — will receive a prize money of 1,000 Euros.

Anjana, the director said: “Given the theme we decided on a documentary based on Kamshola Rai, a 17-year-old environmental enthusiast who is doing permaculture with the TIEEDI in Sonada. We wanted to explore our own region.”

The TIEEDI is an environmental conservation organisation based in Sonada, a small town near Darjeeling district headquarters, which also runs a farm.

Permaculture is a holistic approach to land management that emulates the harmony of natural ecoystems.

“The film delves into Kamshola’s life at a forest farm where she is immersing herself in the principles of permaculture. Through her candid narration, Kamshola underscores the interconnectedness of humans and nature,” said Shikshita Dewan, head of the MCJ department, Salesian College Sonada.

Kamshola had to convince her family before taking up the three-year permaculture course.

“They were initially apprehensive about my choice and thought I would not get a job,” she said.

“I was always interested in the green campus initiative that started at my school St Teresa Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling. It shaped my decision to work closely with nature,” said Kamshola, whose name means comfort in the Naga language. Her mother is a Naga and her father a Gorkha.

Filmmakers of the hills have been making a global splash in recent years.

Earlier this year, Shanti, a short Nepali film by Kurseong director Vivek Rai, won the Silver Egg award at the Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival in Serbia. A year ago, Darjeeling filmmaker Saurav Rai won a jury award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic for his Nepali feature film Guras (Rhododendron).