“Thank you, thank you, thank you! There isn’t much to say, but this…(And also that) this is probably the day I had been waiting for all my life,” filmmaker Rima Das told The Sunday Express.

What had gotten Das so excited was the fact that her film, Village Rockstars which was shot on a hand-held camera and made on a shoe-string budget had just been announced as India’s selection for the Oscars in the Foreign Language Film category.

“I just happened to be home…What a time to receive this news! Right now, I’m celebrating with my family, friends and the cast (of the film),” she added.

The Indian Express reports that the film took four years to make and was shot in rural Assam with a cast that comprised of non-professional actors. The film follows a 10-year-old girl, Dhunu who goes looking for an electric guitar in order to fulfil her dream of creating a rock band.

“It is a big deal because when you don’t receive recognition, you tend to feel things are not possible. It stops people from trying. I hope this inspires many young people,” the self-trained filmmaker told the paper.