India, Feb. 27 -- Filmmaker Rima Das's feature Not a Hero won a Crystal Bear Special Mention at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) on February 22, an honour presented by the Children's Jury. Calling the moment "deeply emotional", Das says, "Not a Hero was made by listening closely and trusting children, their quiet strength, their courage, and their right to choose who they want to become." Reflecting on her process, she shares, "I observed how children were exposed to unfiltered realities and how quickly they adapt," adding that the gap between their inner lives and a demanding world of "noise, competition, opinions, and instant rewards" shaped the film. "Out of this friction emerged the film's heart, Mivan," she adds. Having spent years participating in the Berlinale's Generation section, she says that the festival is "a space where cinema felt alive and deeply harmonious," and one that taught her to be brave. The self-taught filmmaker from Assam added, "I did not come from a film school background. I learned by doing. I learned to believe again, to let go, and to trust the process and humanity."...