Harsyajit Kumar Goyary, an emerging filmmaker from a small town in Assam, has been selected as one of the 24 Asian Fellows at the prestigious Asian Film Academy (AFA), a rigorous filmmaking program conducted during the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The Academy aims to nurture emerging filmmakers by offering hands-on field experience, mentorship from acclaimed directors, and opportunities to engage with industry professionals.
Representing India alongside two other participants, Harsyajit will take part in an intensive 20-day filmmaking program supported by BAFA, Busan. During the program, he will lead the sound department in the production of four short films.
A postgraduate from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, with a specialization in Sound Recording and Design, Harsyajit was previously awarded the India Connect Research Fellowship by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
In addition to his work as a sound designer and re-recording mixer, Harsyajit also produces and directs independent films in the region. As a committed advocate for his tribal community, he strongly believes in the transformative power of art and culture to drive social change and to showcase the rich diversity of indigenous peoples in Northeast India through cinema.
His notable works as a sound designer and re-recording mixer include the Nyishi-language fantasy film Sangi-Gai (2023), which was screened at the Marché du Film during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival after being selected by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The film was also showcased at the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival in 2023.
He worked as a sound recordist in Rima Das’s Village Rockstar 2 (2024), which won the Kim Jiseok Award at BIFF 2024, and Tora’s Husband (2022), which was officially selected for both the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Busan International Film Festival in 2023.
Harsyajit also served as sound recordist for Kshitij Joshi’s short film Dhekun (2023), which had its international premiere at the Jio MAMI Film Festival in 2023. Additionally, he was the sound designer for Bishal Swargiary’s short film Mother’s Affection (2024), which won the Best Cinematography Award at the Baripada Indigenous Short Film Festival.
Through his expanding body of work, Harsyajit continues to use cinema as a platform to elevate indigenous voices and narratives from Northeast India to the international stage.