GUWAHATI: Assam filmmaker Kaushik Sharma has earned international recognition after his debut short film, The Scroll That Stole Time, won the Best Essay Film (Short Movies) award at the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Madrid (FICIMAD) 2026 in Spain.
Based in Guwahati, Sharma is a former member of the GPlus team and an alumnus of the Waikato Institute of Technology in New Zealand and Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. With more than a decade of experience primarily as a film editor, he has worked on numerous editorial and client projects focused on Assam and the Northeast before venturing into independent filmmaking.
The Scroll That Stole Time is a self-funded debut project that Sharma wrote, directed, shot and edited himself. The film stars Phillips Neog in the lead role and features performances by Arundhati Bora, Arundhuti Sharma, Shindhu Kashyap Barpuzari and Ronil Kataki, showcasing talent from Assam.
The film received praise from the festival's jury and programming team. In its official magazine, FICIMAD described the work as a film created with “humility, craftsmanship, and love,” while highlighting its exploration of how technology and algorithms increasingly shape and erode human experiences. The publication also compared the film’s visual style and storytelling to a Black Mirror-like narrative set against the backdrop of Assam.
The award was presented by FICIMAD's programming team and Festival Director Tomás Pérez Torrella. The film has also been featured in the festival's official 2026 magazine alongside other internationally acclaimed productions.
Adding to its growing international presence, The Scroll That Stole Time has secured official selections at film festivals in both Spain and Brazil.
The recognition marks a significant achievement for Sharma and Assam’s independent film community, demonstrating how a self-produced project from Northeast India can gain visibility and acclaim on the global festival circuit.