For decades, Himachal Pradesh has served as a picturesque backdrop for Bollywood songs and stories. Snow-clad mountains, cedar forests and quaint villages have appeared on screen countless times, but rarely has the state itself — its people, dialects, faith and cultural soul — taken centre stage. That could finally be changing.May 16 is set to become a watershed moment for the almost non-existent Himachali film industry as ‘Khoonta’, a Hindi film written and directed by a woman from the hills and performed entirely by local actors, will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival Market Premiere. It is the first film from Himachal Pradesh to reach the prestigious global platform.For filmmaker Anushi Sharma, who is the lead actor in the film, the journey from the remote town of Shillai in Sirmaur district to Cannes feels surreal. “The story I wanted to tell the world is finally ready,” she says, calling the screening the biggest moment of her life.Anushi began her artistic journey in theatre circles in Solan before moving to Mumbai, where she worked in television serials. But somewhere amid the glitter of mainstream entertainment, a deeply personal story kept pulling her back to the mountains she grew up in. That story eventually became ‘Khoonta’ — literally meaning “anchor”.Set in a Himalayan village devoted to Mahasu Maharaj, one of the most revered deities in the region, the film explores the emotional conflict between relentless modern development and a fading traditional way of life. Through intimate storytelling, it captures the anxieties of communities struggling to preserve identity, faith and cultural memory in changing times.Authenticity became the soul of the project. Every actor in the film was chosen from Himachal or from the Himachali diaspora working outside the state to reflect the natural dialect. Even costumes were sourced from village homes or stitched by local tailors to ensure the world on screen remained untouched by artificiality.The project gained momentum when New York-based Indian-American producer Mukesh Modi came on board. Deeply moved by the script, Modi travelled through Solan and Sirmaur to understand the landscape, people and traditions before production began. He insisted the film remain “real and raw”, allowing Himachal’s culture to speak for itself rather than through a commercial lens.Speaking from Cannes, Modi said he was struck by the extraordinary devotion local communities have towards their deities, especially Mahasu Maharaj. “This is the Himachal we want the world to see,” he remarked.Veteran actor Jawahar Kaul, who is also part of the cast, believes the Cannes screening could become a turning point for filmmaking in the state. Beyond the glamour of the festival, he sees hope — hope that local actors, writers and filmmakers may finally find recognition and more opportunities without having to abandon their roots.