"The Ink-Stained Hand and a Missing Thumb," Yashasvi Juyal's inaugural feature film, recently made its debut at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival's Proxima Competition. This distinctive cinematic work has now found a global distributor in Diversion, a Bangkok-based company specializing in film sales. The movie is set to continue its festival circuit journey with an upcoming screening at the Singapore International Film Festival, where it will contend in the Asian Feature Film Competition. Produced by Uttarakhand's Silvercord Films, with Khan & Kumar Media serving as co-producers, the project boasts the involvement of Shaunak Sen, an Oscar-nominated director known for "All That Breathes," as its executive producer. The film's funding sources include the Red Sea Fund, Visions Sud Est, Take Ten, the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity (India), and Film Companion Studios.
Karlovy Vary Premiere's Haunting Tale Finds Global Audience with Diversion Deal
On October 9, 2026, a significant development in independent cinema unfolded as Diversion finalized an exclusive world sales deal for Yashasvi Juyal's compelling new film, "The Ink-Stained Hand and a Missing Thumb." The agreement was sealed between Mai Meksawan, representing Diversion, and Juyal from Silvercord Films. This acquisition positions Diversion to present the film at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market. The narrative of Juyal's film centers on a toll booth station, where the protagonist, Rajji, and her colleagues navigate a monotonous daily existence. This routine is violently disrupted when Santosh, Rajji's partner and a fellow migrant worker, perishes in a vehicle collision while on duty. A profound sense of sorrow permeates the station, only to be complicated a day later by Santosh's inexplicable reappearance, alive in an ethereal sense. His return defies conventional understanding and casts an unsettling aura over their lives. As the toll booth where his demise occurred faces impending demolition, Santosh's tenuous connection to the earthly realm begins to unravel, mirroring the fading structure. Director Juyal, drawing on his upbringing in the upper Himalayas, explained to a prominent industry publication that the film's supernatural elements are deeply ingrained in the local culture, where encounters with spirits are discussed with a casualness akin to everyday events, reflecting a shared lived experience in the region. This unique perspective on the spectral adds a rich layer of authenticity to the film's haunting storyline.
This film's acquisition by Diversion underscores the growing international interest in unique, culturally rooted narratives from emerging filmmakers. Juyal's exploration of grief, the supernatural, and the resilience of the human spirit, set against the backdrop of the Himalayas, offers a fresh perspective on universal themes. The support from various international funds also highlights a collaborative effort within the global film community to champion diverse voices and stories. As "The Ink-Stained Hand and a Missing Thumb" prepares for its Asian premiere, it serves as a testament to the power of cinema to transcend boundaries and connect audiences through shared human experiences, even when delving into the unexplained.
