Telugu short film Osey Balamma director Raman Nimmala at a press conference in Vijayawada on Saturday. | Photo credit: GN RAO
Osey Balamma’s Telugu short film has been officially selected for the short film competition section of the Sundance Film Festival 2026, which will be held from January 22 to February 1, 2026 in Park city, Utah, USA. This is the first time in the festival’s history that a Telugu film has been selected for the competition category.
Short film director Raman Nimmala told the media here on Saturday (December 20) that this year the jury selected only 54 films out of a staggering 11,480 entries. “By securing a place in the competition with a strict selection rate of just 0.4%, Osey Balamma has earned recognition on the international stage,” he said.
He said the film is based on real relationships he witnessed in his grandmother’s house during his childhood. Set against the backdrop of the Sankranti festival, the film explores the complex yet loving bond between an elderly matriarch and her domestic help Balamma. It subtly discusses the social hierarchies and deep-rooted love embedded in the term Osey, he said.
Mr. Nimmala is pursuing an MA in Fine Arts at Columbia University in New York. He shot this project in his homeland, Neredigunta village in Telangana. This project was backed by leading Tollywood producers Bunny Vas (co-producer) and Sreeja Edida (executive producer).
The film has been made with high authenticity and combines the expertise of New York-based technicians with the participation of local villagers, he said, adding that the win shows the prowess of rural stories and the grandeur of Telugu on the global stage.
Published – 20 Dec 2025 20:46 IST
