PSBT FILM CHALLENGE 2020-2021 WINNERS
In 2020-21, PSBT along with the Foundation for Universal Responsibility (FUR) of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, announced a ‘Film Challenge’ in response to the pandemic and its impact.
The Challenge invited films – less than 10 minutes in length, fiction and nonfiction – under two categories: Professional and Amateur.
The Challenge invited films – less than 10 minutes in length, fiction and nonfiction – under two categories: Professional and Amateur.
The Challenge received a huge response – a total of 766 entries.
It was quite a daunting task to go through all the entries – but we were helped by a competent Selection Committee – Anandana Kapur, Hemant Gaba, Pooja Iyengar and Subasri Krishnan.
A long list was then sent to the Jury, consisting of Anjali Monteiro, Bina Paul and Sudhir Tandon.
On March 28th, 2021 we announced the results, bringing a unique PSBT endeavour to an end.
26 awards were given out – of which 8 were supported by FUR.
The award-winning films were also selected for the Urban lens film festival and IHC Film Festival.
Three projects were selected from a shortlist of 25 film proposals for filmmaking grants. The award-winning films were also selected for the Urban lens film festival and IHC Film Festival.
Akshay Ingle – Mahalle’s School
Bijoy Chowdhury – Undivided Solitude
Syed Mohammed Afnan
Festival Selections
Urban Lens Film Festival
Chasing the Light by Harmeet Basur
Synopsis:
Long shadows in the morning, softer light. Shorter shadows, harsher light during the afternoons. Warmer hues changing the mood in the evening, making everything appear softer. That’s what the sun does. Makes us and our surroundings appear different, depending on where we are, what time of the day it is and in which season. And that’s what you do as a cinematographer, chase the light and use it to your advantage. Well at least you try… And now, you are locked in, but you don’t stop following the light: as it comes in blasting through the windows or sneaks in through cracks and crevices, or bounces off shiny surfaces. It changes the shapes of things and highlights certain areas while leaving others in complete darkness.
Undivided Solitude by Bijoy Chowdhury
Synopsis:
Long shadows in the morning, softer light. Shorter shadows, harsher light during the afternoons. Warmer hues changing the mood in the evening, making everything appear softer. That’s what the sun does. Makes us and our surroundings appear different, depending on where we are, what time of the day it is and in which season. And that’s what you do as a cinematographer, chase the light and use it to your advantage. Well at least you try… And now, you are locked in, but you don’t stop following the light: as it comes in blasting through the windows or sneaks in through cracks and crevices, or bounces off shiny surfaces. It changes the shapes of things and highlights certain areas while leaving others in complete darkness.
IHC Film Festival
Mahalle’s School-Family Going Live by Akshay Ingle
Synopsis:
Janu and Vedu are attending online classes with limited resources for the first time. They explore this new world together with their parents. What starts as a look at a new kind of learning gradually evolves into an uninhibited and intimate portrait of an Indian family.
Undivided Solitude by Bijoy Chowdhury
Coming Soon:
Chasing the Light by Harmeet Basur
Coming Soon:
Credits:
PSBT & Foundation for Universal Responsibility:
Rajiv Mehrotra – Managing Trustee
PSBT Film Challenge Director:
Aparna Sanyal
Team:
Purnima Mehta
Pranami Tamuli
Nabina Chakravarty
Shailendra Singh Rawat
Outreach Advisor:
Premendra Mazumdar
Social Media Promotion
Team Socio Sketch Media (Sunil Agrawal, Joey Pathak , Iti Sharma, Nutan Baraik, Ankisha Rana, Srishti Millicent)
Himanshu Khaneja