Filmmaker Gurvinder Singh’s latest movie, ‘Rehmat’, has been officially selected for the Main Competition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival to be held in Switzerland from August 5-15.It will compete for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Leopard, which carries a cash award of CHF 75,000 (Rs 88 lakh), alongside South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, Denis Côté from Canada, Salvatore Mereu from Italy and Romanian director Florin Serban, among others.The film is based on the short stories of Punjabi writer Ajeet Cour and has been jointly produced by her daughter and painter Arpana Caur.Set in present-day Punjab, the film weaves together three interconnected narratives. A woman secretly shelters a wounded stranger within her home, while his family endures the weight of grief and impossible choices. Meanwhile, a mysterious elderly man arrives in a village, calling himself ‘God’.The movie stars Naseeruddin Shah, Suvinder Vicky, Mita Vasisht, Navjot Randhawa and newcomers Diya Kamboj, Harwinder Aujla and Jaswant Zafar.Gurvinder says Ajeet’s stories have tackled themes relating to the social and political trajectory of Punjab. “I had a carte blanche to choose any story or combination of stories. What could connect them thematically, structurally and as a narrative was the key consideration.”‘Rehmat’ will be actor Naseeruddin Shah’s first Punjabi film. Gurvinder says he felt Naseer would be the ideal person for it, even knowing he is not Punjabi. “I was uncertain whether it would be possible. But when I approached him, he agreed without even asking about the role,” says Gurvinder, adding that once Naseer was on board, the dialogues were written with his personality in mind. “On set, I realised he needed very little direction, almost none.”Locarno is among the world’s most prestigious festivals besides Venice, Cannes and Berlin. Gurvinder says the selection at Locarno reaffirms his faith that a certain kind of cinema still has relevance in this largely market-driven world with shrinking attention spans.In addition to the Main Competition, the artistic team of the Locarno Film Festival has nominated ‘Rehmat’ for a special award, the ‘Pardo for Change’. The world premiere of the film has been slated for August 6 in Locarno.Gurvinder Singh’s earlier films include ‘Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan’, ‘Chauthi Koot’ and ‘Adh Chanani Raat’. His work has previously been officially presented at Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Busan and other important film festivals and cultural institutions across the world. He is the winner of the National Award for Best Director and has won the award for Best Punjabi Film twice. ‘Rehmat’ is his fourth Punjabi-language feature.