

Masterclass
Guest Lecture
Screening & Talk

Reena mohan
Masterclass
Reena Mohan is undeniably one of the stalwarts of Indian independent documentary practice. A graduate of FTII (1982), she is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at IDSFFK in 2022 and has been honored with the National Film Award three times, marking a career that spans four remarkable decades.

Reena mohan
Masterclass
Reena Mohan is undeniably one of the stalwarts of Indian independent documentary practice.
A graduate of FTII (1982), she is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at IDSFFK in 2022 and has been honored with the National Film Award three times, marking a career that spans four remarkable decades.
She has directed 10 documentaries and contributed her editorial expertise to over 50 films. Among her notable works, "Kamlabai" stands out as her most renowned directorial piece, while her role in editing “Mati Manas” (directed by Mani Kaul) is a significant highlight. Her editorial prowess extends to other notable films such as "Sacrifice of Babulal Bhaiya", "For Maya", "Tales from Planet Kolkata", "Majma", “In the Forest Hangs a Bridge", "Sunder Nagri", "The Factory", and many others.
She researched extensively on India’s silent cinema and published an insightful paper titled “Of Wayward Girls and Wicked Women.” This scholarly work sheds light on the pioneering contributions of women to the early days of Indian cinema. Through classes and workshops, Reena has been guiding generations of young filmmakers in the art of documentary practice for over three decades. She has served as a jury member at various prestigious international film festivals, including Kabul and Thimphu in 2011, Mumbai in 2012, Kathmandu in 2017, BANFF Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2020.
DEEPA DHANRAJ
Masterclass
Deepa Dhanraj is one of the most renowned and highly regarded Indian documentary filmmakers, who has been directing and producing films since the eighties. Her legendary works include “Something Like a War,” “We Haven’t Come Here to Die,” “The Legacy of Malthus,”
“Sudesha,” “Nari Adalat,” and “What Has Happened to This City?” These films have been screened on ARTE, CBC, and SBS. A lifetime achievement awardee at IDSFFK 2023, her films have been invited to festivals such as IDFA, Berlinale, Leipzig, Oberhausen, Films de Femmes, Creteil France, Tampere, Vancouver, and Chicago.
Deepa has been actively engaged in the women’s movement for over four decades, with a particular focus on political participation, health, and education. She was a founding member of Yugantar, a feminist film collective that produced notable documentaries highlighting women’s labor and their resistance against domestic violence. Her extensive filmography delves into various critical issues, including the violence and manipulation associated with population control programs, the establishment of Muslim women’s courts providing an alternative to patriarchal judgments issued by Sharia courts, and the emergence of Hindu majoritarianism.
Guided by a strong passion for education, She has dedicated substantial effort to collaborating with government schools in developing tailored pedagogical approaches suitable for first-generation learners hailing from Dalit and Adivasi communities. She also shares her expertise by teaching video production to women activists and regularly delivers lectures on media theory, engaging with audiences in both academic and public forums.


DEEPA DHANRAJ
Masterclass
Deepa Dhanraj is one of the most renowned and highly regarded Indian documentary filmmakers, who has
been directing and producing films since the eighties. Her legendary works include “Something Like a War,” “We Haven’t Come Here to Die,” “The Legacy of Malthus,” “Sudesha,” “Nari Adalat,” and “What Has Happened to This City?” These films have been screened on ARTE, CBC, and SBS. A lifetime achievement awardee at IDSFFK 2023, her films have been invited to festivals such as IDFA, Berlinale, Leipzig, Oberhausen, Films de Femmes, Creteil France, Tampere, Vancouver, and Chicago.
Deepa has been actively engaged in the women’s movement for over four decades, with a particular focus on political participation, health, and education. She was a founding member of Yugantar, a feminist film collective that produced notable documentaries highlighting women’s labor and their resistance against domestic violence. Her extensive filmography delves into various critical issues, including the violence and manipulation associated with population control programs, the establishment of Muslim women’s courts providing an alternative to patriarchal judgments issued by Sharia courts, and the emergence of Hindu majoritarianism.
Guided by a strong passion for education, She has dedicated substantial effort to collaborating with government schools in developing tailored pedagogical approaches suitable for first-generation learners hailing from Dalit and Adivasi communities. She also shares her expertise by teaching video production to women activists and regularly delivers lectures on media theory, engaging with audiences in both academic and public forums.
Francesco Montagner
Guest Lecture
Francesco is an award-winning film director. Animata resistenza (2014) is Francesco’s debut documentary which premiered in the 71. Venice Film Festival and was awarded the Venice Classics Award for Best Documentary on Cinema. It was selected for more than 20 festivals worldwide and received 10 awards.
Francesco's second feature documentary Brotherhood (2021), a Czech-Italian production, premiered at the 74. Locarno Film Festival and was awarded the Pardo d'oro of Cineasti del presente. The film has been selected in other 40 festivals worldwide (IFFR, True/False, RIDM, CPH:Dox) and awarded at several. Brotherhood is co produced by broadcasters like ARTE, Aljazeera, Rai cinema, and Ceska Televize. Francesco's short film Asterión (2022) premiered at the 75. Locarno Film Festival in the section Corti d'autore, and won RIGA IFF 2022 becoming its official candidate for the EFA awards 2023. It was nominated for the Magnesia Short Film Award at the Czech Lions National Awards.
Since 2017, Francesco has been working as a film lecturer at FAMU International, where he teaches Tools of Documentary Directing, and as a mentor in the directing workshop for first-year students APP (Academy Preparation Program - FAMU). Since 2021, he has been mentoring at the Swiss film school CISA, leading a workshop on documentary directing, and conducting mentorship programs at the Cuban film school EICTV as an external lecturer.


FRANCESCO MONTAGNER
Guest Lecture
Francesco is an award-winning film director. Animata resistenza (2014) is Francesco’s debut documentary which
premiered in the 71. Venice Film Festival and was awarded the Venice Classics Award for Best Documentary on Cinema. It was selected for more than 20 festivals worldwide and received 10 awards.
Francesco's second feature documentary Brotherhood (2021), a Czech-Italian production, premiered at the 74. Locarno Film Festival and was awarded the Pardo d'oro of Cineasti del presente. The film has been selected in other 40 festivals worldwide (IFFR, True/False, RIDM, CPH:Dox) and awarded at several. Brotherhood is co produced by broadcasters like ARTE, Aljazeera, Rai cinema, and Ceska Televize. Francesco's short film Asterión (2022) premiered at the 75. Locarno Film Festival in the section Corti d'autore, and won RIGA IFF 2022 becoming its official candidate for the EFA awards 2023. It was nominated for the Magnesia Short Film Award at the Czech Lions National Awards.
Since 2017, Francesco has been working as a film lecturer at FAMU International, where he teaches Tools of Documentary Directing, and as a mentor in the directing workshop for first-year students APP (Academy Preparation Program - FAMU). Since 2021, he has been mentoring at the Swiss film school CISA, leading a workshop on documentary directing, and conducting mentorship programs at the Cuban film school EICTV as an external lecturer.

Saumyananda Sahi
Guest Lecture
Born in Bangalore, Saumyananda Sahi originally studied philosophy at St Stephens College in Delhi before deciding he wanted to be a cinematographer, attending the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.
Over the past decade, Saumyananda has worked on a variety of projects, both factual and fiction, with such filmmakers as Kamal Swaroop, Shaunak Sen, Prateek Vats, Arun Karthick, Anamika Haksar, Thomas F Lennon and Prashant Nair. His work has played at film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Rotterdam, Locarno, Busan, Toronto, Hot Docs (Canada) and IDFA (Holland). He was nominated for an Asia Pacific Award (Balekempa, 2018), a 2021 Filmfare Award and, more recently, a 2023 Critics Choice Award for Best Cinematography.
His most recent work includes the documentary ‘All That Breathes’ (nominated for both a BAFTA as well as an Academy Award, and winner of the ASC Award for Best Documentary) and the Netflix limited series ‘Trial By Fire’, which opened to rave reviews and features on IMDb’s Top 100 list.
In 2022 Saumyananda was selected as one of the ten participants of BAFTA’s Breakthrough India programme. Film Companion also selected Saumyananda as one of India’s ‘Disruptors’ for the year 2022.
As well as his work as a cinematographer, Saumyananda has directed two documentaries and is presently completing his debut fiction feature as a director.
As a teacher, he has conducted workshops at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India, BITS Pilani (Goa), and NYU Abu Dhabi.

SAUMYANANDA SAHI
Guest Lecture
Born in Bangalore, Saumyananda Sahi originally studied philosophy at St Stephens College in Delhi before
deciding he wanted to be a cinematographer, attending the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. Over the past decade, Saumyananda has worked on a variety of projects, both factual and fiction, with such filmmakers as Kamal Swaroop, Shaunak Sen, Prateek Vats, Arun Karthick, Anamika Haksar, Thomas F Lennon and Prashant Nair. His work has played at film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Rotterdam, Locarno, Busan, Toronto, Hot Docs (Canada) and IDFA (Holland). He was nominated for an Asia Pacific Award (Balekempa, 2018), a 2021 Filmfare Award and, more recently, a 2023 Critics Choice Award for Best Cinematography.
His most recent work includes the documentary ‘All That Breathes’ (nominated for both a BAFTA as well as an Academy Award, and winner of the ASC Award for Best Documentary) and the Netflix limited series ‘Trial By Fire’, which opened to rave reviews and features on IMDb’s Top 100 list.
In 2022 Saumyananda was selected as one of the ten participants of BAFTA’s Breakthrough India programme. Film Companion also selected Saumyananda as one of India’s ‘Disruptors’ for the year 2022.
As well as his work as a cinematographer, Saumyananda has directed two documentaries and is presently completing his debut fiction feature as a director.
As a teacher, he has conducted workshops at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India, BITS Pilani (Goa), and NYU Abu Dhabi.
Payal kapadia
Screening & Talk
Payal Kapadia, an FTII alumna, is a prominent voice in contemporary Indian cinema. Her debut feature-length documentary, “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” earned her the prestigious Golden Eye award at Cannes in 2021. In 2017, her short film “Afternoon Clouds” was the sole Indian
selection at the Cannes Film Festival, and featured in the Cinefondation section. Her experimental short film “And What Was the Summer Saying” premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2018, where it received the Special Jury Prize. It also garnered acclaim at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) in 2018 and was honored as the Best Experimental Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2020.
Her work delves into the less visible, often hidden realms of memory and dreams. It is within the realm of minor, fleeting feminine gestures that she seeks to uncover the truths that define her practice.
Currently, Payal is working on her debut feature film, “All We Imagine as Light,” a project she developed during her residency at the Cinefondation Cannes Residency in Paris (2019-20), with support from Hubert Bals funds and many others.


Payal kapadia
Screening & Talk
Payal Kapadia, an FTII alumna, is a prominent voice in contemporary Indian cinema.
Her debut feature-length documentary, "A Night of Knowing Nothing," earned her the prestigious Golden Eye award at Cannes in 2021. In 2017, her short film "Afternoon Clouds" was the sole Indian selection at the Cannes Film Festival, and featured in the Cinefondation section. Her experimental short film “And What Was the Summer Saying” premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2018, where it received the Special Jury Prize. It also garnered acclaim at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) in 2018 and was honored as the Best Experimental Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2020.
Her work delves into the less visible, often hidden realms of memory and dreams. It is within the realm of minor, fleeting feminine gestures that she seeks to uncover the truths that define her practice.
Currently, Payal is working on her debut feature film, “All We Imagine as Light,” a project she developed during her residency at the Cinefondation Cannes Residency in Paris (2019-20), with support from Hubert Bals funds and many others.

shaunak sen
Talk
Shaunak Sen is a Delhi-based Indian filmmaker, video artist, and film scholar. His documentary, ‘All That Breathes,’ earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature Film, and it won the prestigious Golden Eye Award for Best Documentary at the 2022 Cannes Film
Festival and the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Sen is a graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia and holds a Ph.D. from the School of Arts and Aesthetics at JNU, Delhi. His academic and early professional pursuits garnered support from various organizations, including the Films Division of India Documentary Fellowship (2013), CSDS-Sarai Digital and Social Media Fellowship (2014), Pro Helvetia Residency (2016), and the Charles Wallace Fellowship (2018). In 2018, he also engaged as a visiting scholar in Cambridge University's ERC Urban Ecologies project.
His debut feature-length documentary, 'Cities of Sleep' (2016), found recognition at esteemed international film festivals like Dok Leipzig, MAMI – Mumbai International Film Festival, Taiwan International Film Festival, the Seattle South Asian Film Festival, and New York Indian Film Festival. Shaunak co-curated 'Downtime' in 2014, a live-event installation simultaneously held at the Goethe Institute (Delhi) and Neukölln (Berlin). He also played a key role in co-curating the live performance/video installation event 'Notes on Mourning' (Khoj Studios) in 2015 and participated in the Copycat Academy Residency at the Luminatos Film Festival (Toronto).

shaunak sen
Talk
Shaunak Sen is a Delhi-based Indian filmmaker, video artist, and film scholar. His documentary, ‘All That
Breathes,' earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature Film, and it won the prestigious Golden Eye Award for Best Documentary at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Sen is a graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia and holds a Ph.D. from the School of Arts and Aesthetics at JNU, Delhi. His academic and early professional pursuits garnered support from various organizations, including the Films Division of India Documentary Fellowship (2013), CSDS-Sarai Digital and Social Media Fellowship (2014), Pro Helvetia Residency (2016), and the Charles Wallace Fellowship (2018). In 2018, he also engaged as a visiting scholar in Cambridge University's ERC Urban Ecologies project.
His debut feature-length documentary, 'Cities of Sleep' (2016), found recognition at esteemed international film festivals like Dok Leipzig, MAMI – Mumbai International Film Festival, Taiwan International Film Festival, the Seattle South Asian Film Festival, and New York Indian Film Festival. Shaunak co-curated 'Downtime' in 2014, a live-event installation simultaneously held at the Goethe Institute (Delhi) and Neukölln (Berlin). He also played a key role in co-curating the live performance/video installation event 'Notes on Mourning' (Khoj Studios) in 2015 and participated in the Copycat Academy Residency at the Luminatos Film Festival (Toronto).
R V RAMANI
Guest Mentor
Spanning a career of 35 years, with over 25 films directed and many more as a cinematographer, R V Ramani has made an invaluable impact on Indian independent documentary practice. His one-man-army, impressionistic films have earned him global and national recognition, including
India’s National Film Awards, Best Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival, and the prestigious Bala Kailasam Award, among others. His notable films include “Oh, That’s Bhanu,” “My Camera and Tsunami,” “Santhal Family to Mill Re-Call,” “Brahma Vishnu Shiva,” “Saa,” and many more. His works have been showcased at significant festivals such as Yamagata, Busan, IDSFFK, Jeonju, and many others.
Additionally, retrospectives of his films have been featured at festivals like documentArt in Germany, MIFF-India, and the Asia Pacific Triennale, among others. Prior to graduating from FTII with a specialization in cinematography, Ramani worked as a photojournalist. He has been teaching and mentoring generations of young filmmakers at various Institutions.


R V RAMANI
Guest Mentor
Spanning a career of 35 years, with over 25 films directed and many more as a cinematographer, R V
Ramani has made an invaluable impact on Indian independent documentary practice. His one-man-army, impressionistic films have earned him global and national recognition, including India’s National Film Awards, Best Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival, and the prestigious Bala Kailasam Award, among others. His notable films include “Oh, That’s Bhanu,” “My Camera and Tsunami,” “Santhal Family to Mill Re-Call,” “Brahma Vishnu Shiva,” “Saa,” and many more. His works have been showcased at significant festivals such as Yamagata, Busan, IDSFFK, Jeonju, and many others.
Additionally, retrospectives of his films have been featured at festivals like documentArt in Germany, MIFF-India, and the Asia Pacific Triennale, among others. Prior to graduating from FTII with a specialization in cinematography, Ramani worked as a photojournalist. He has been teaching and mentoring generations of young filmmakers at various Institutions

Heejung oh
Guest Lecture
Heejung Oh is a prominent and dynamic producer of documentaries and fiction films and the founder of Seesaw Pictures (2017). She grew up in South Korea, and her life is divided between Seoul and Amsterdam/Paris. She is an alumna of EAVE, Eurodoc, Rotterdam Lab, and Berlinale
Talents, and has been invited to the selection committee of IDFA Bertha Fund, Sheffield Doc/Fest, DOK Leipzig, and AIDC.

Heejung oh
Guest Lecture
Heejung Oh is a prominent and dynamic producer of documentaries and fiction films and the founder of
Seesaw Pictures (2017). She grew up in South Korea, and her life is divided between Seoul and Amsterdam/Paris. She is an alumna of EAVE, Eurodoc, Rotterdam Lab, and Berlinale Talents, and has been invited to the selection committee of IDFA Bertha Fund, Sheffield Doc/Fest, DOK Leipzig, and AIDC.
arya rothe
Guest Mentor
Arya Rothe is an independent filmmaker from Pune, India, and co-founder of NoCut Film Collective. Her debut feature-length documentary film A Rifle and a Bag (2020, India, Romania, Italy, Qatar) won the Special Mention of the Jury at the 2020 International Film Festival
Rotterdam (IFFR) in the Bright Future Competition. The film received support from prominent documentary funds, including the DMZ Docs Fund, Creative Media Europe, Netherlands Film Funds, and others.
Her short documentary film Casa da Quina (2015) had its World Premiere at DocLisboa and won the Special Mention Jury Award at the International Film Festival FILMADRID in Spain. Her short film made in Hungary, Daughter’s Mother (2018) had its world premiere at the 61st Dok Leipzig Film Festival. She graduated in 2016 from the DocNomads Master Course. Before DocNomads, she studied at FAMU – National Film School of the Czech Republic.


arya rothe
Guest Mentor
Arya Rothe is an independent filmmaker from Pune, India, and co-founder of NoCut Film Collective.
Her debut feature-length documentary film A Rifle and a Bag (2020, India, Romania, Italy, Qatar) won the Special Mention of the Jury at the 2020 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in the Bright Future Competition. The film received support from prominent documentary funds, including the DMZ Docs Fund, Creative Media Europe, Netherlands Film Funds, and others.
Her short documentary film Casa da Quina (2015) had its World Premiere at DocLisboa and won the Special Mention Jury Award at the International Film Festival FILMADRID in Spain. Her short film made in Hungary, Daughter’s Mother (2018) had its world premiere at the 61st Dok Leipzig Film Festival. She graduated in 2016 from the DocNomads Master Course. Before DocNomads, she studied at FAMU – National Film School of the Czech Republic.

Haobam Paban Kumar
Screening & Talk
Haobam Paban Kumar is a prominent voice emitting out of the restive northeastern Indian state of Manipur, India dabbling in both non-fiction and fiction storytelling. His film AFSPA 1958 was awarded the Golden Lotus for Best Documentary at the 56th National Film Awards 2008.
A CRY IN THE DARK is another film screened at the 31st Toronto Film Festival 2006 and MOMA New York 2007. After nearly a decade of documentary filmmaking, he made his critically acclaimed feature film Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake) which featured at the 67th Berlin Film Festival 2017 and 21st Busan International Film Festival 2016.

Haobam Paban Kumar
Screening & Talk
Haobam Paban Kumar is a prominent voice emitting out of the restive northeastern Indian state of Manipur,
India dabbling in both non-fiction and fiction storytelling. His film AFSPA 1958 was awarded the Golden Lotus for Best Documentary at the 56th National Film Awards 2008. A CRY IN THE DARK is another film screened at the 31st Toronto Film Festival 2006 and MOMA New York 2007. After nearly a decade of documentary filmmaking, he made his critically acclaimed feature film Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake) which featured at the 67th Berlin Film Festival 2017 and 21st Busan International Film Festival 2016.
Nilanjan Bhattacharya
Talk
Nilanjan Bhattacharya is a documentary filmmaker, Artist, Writer and a Scavenger of Knowledge who now lives between Leipzig and Calcutta. For many years, he has been
exploring the Indigenous knowledge about biodiversity and food in India and produced
several films and installations. He has also been engaged in many artistic collaborations,
initiated and implemented several interdeciplinary projects like, Interpretative Interactive
Archive on Calcutta (with Praneet Soi) and Neighbourhood Eco-Media Lab with a group of
local children). He was the creative consultant for the first-ever online version of the Indo-
European Art Residency programme in Calcutta (2021). Nilanjan writes on food and
Calcutta’s public culture.
His works have been showcased at Mumbai International film Festival, RAI International
Festival of Ethnographic Film, Goteborg International Film Festival, Les Rencontres
Internationale at Centre Pompidou Paris, Wellcome Collection Gallery London, Experimenter
Art Gallery Calcutta, European Kunsthalle, and Frankfurter Kunstverein.
Twice (2005 & 2010) he received the National Film Award of India.
At present Nilanjan is curating (with Jörn Schafaff and Araine Beyn) an art project relating to
the cultural effects of migration and situated in India, Colombia and Venezuela, Japan and
South Africa. He is also working on a video installation titled, Who Looks at Whom, which will
be installed at the GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig.


Nilanjan Bhattacharya
Talk
Nilanjan Bhattacharya is a documentary filmmaker, Artist, Writer and a Scavenger of
Knowledge who now lives between Leipzig and Calcutta. For many years, he has been
exploring the Indigenous knowledge about biodiversity and food in India and produced several films and installations. He has also been engaged in many artistic collaborations,
initiated and implemented several interdeciplinary projects like, Interpretative Interactive
Archive on Calcutta (with Praneet Soi) and Neighbourhood Eco-Media Lab with a group of
local children). He was the creative consultant for the first-ever online version of the Indo-
European Art Residency programme in Calcutta (2021). Nilanjan writes on food and
Calcutta’s public culture.
His works have been showcased at Mumbai International film Festival, RAI International
Festival of Ethnographic Film, Goteborg International Film Festival, Les Rencontres
Internationale at Centre Pompidou Paris, Wellcome Collection Gallery London, Experimenter
Art Gallery Calcutta, European Kunsthalle, and Frankfurter Kunstverein.
Twice (2005 & 2010) he received the National Film Award of India.
At present Nilanjan is curating (with Jörn Schafaff and Araine Beyn) an art project relating to
the cultural effects of migration and situated in India, Colombia and Venezuela, Japan and
South Africa. He is also working on a video installation titled, Who Looks at Whom, which will
be installed at the GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig.

Israel Bañuelos
Guest Lecture
Israel Bañuelos is a Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer, and Re-Recording Mixer. He commenced
his journey at Kaparasound, a prominent Music and Sound post-production studio in his native Mexico. Currently, he is based in Tallinn, Estonia, where he has founded Acousmatic Film Sound, a cutting-edge Sound-Postproduction studio in his native Mexico. Currently, he is based in Tallinn, Estonia, where he has founded Acousmatic Film Sound, a cutting-edge Sound-Postproduction studio dedicated to film.
Over the course of his career, Israel has contributed his expertise to over 100 films of diverse genres and lengths, which have been shown in important festivals such as the Venice Film Festival. He also lent his talents to performance art, interactive media, video games, virtual reality endeavors, music videos, and numerous commercial ventures.
His notable experiences include joining Berlinale Talents in Guadalajara in 2014, where he had the privilege of learning from Martin Hernandez, and his attendance at Berlinale Talents in Berlin in 2018, where he learned from Carsten Nicolai and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Israel holds an MA in Sound Design for Film at the Kino Eyes Master’s program. He is also a member of the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE).

Israel Bañuelos
Guest Lecture
Israel Bañuelos is a Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer, and Re-Recording Mixer. He commenced his journey at Kaparasound, a prominent Music and Sound post-production studio in his native Mexico. Currently, he is based in Tallinn, Estonia, where he has founded Acousmatic
documentaries while also finding opportunities to document and archive unique local stories. Suruchi was a UNESCO- Sahapedia research fellow and has also worked for broadcasters like The Epic Channel, TVF, National Geographic Channel among others. Founder of boutique film studio – Ainak, and a writer’s residency called Rewrite, she is currently building an arts-friendly ecosystem in her home state. Her work has brought accolades like the Jury Prize at IDSFFK 2017, the Forum Lenteng Award at Arkipel Film Festival 2017, and recognition at the 69th National Awards.
Know more at www.suruchisharma.in
Mehdi Jahan
Guest Lecture
Mehdi Jahan is a filmmaker and educator from Guwahati, Assam. His work challenges conventional image production methods by drawing from regional oral storytelling traditions. He creates a sensorial aesthetic that blends personal and collective histories, resulting in a
cinematic language akin to poetry and dreams.
Mehdi's films have been featured at prominent international and national festivals and exhibitions. These include events in Brazil, Moscow, Spain, Italy, Peru, Romania, and India. He has also taught film studies and direction at institutions like Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and Seamedu Media School.
In 2023, his work was featured in his first retrospective at the Millennium Film Workshop in New York. Mehdi is the recipient of the 2023 Berlin Fellowship in the Film and Media Arts category, awarded by Junge Akademie, Akademie der Künste, Berlin.


Mehdi Jahan
Guest Lecture
Mehdi Jahan is a filmmaker and educator from Guwahati, Assam. His work challenges conventional image
production methods by drawing from regional oral storytelling traditions. He creates a sensorial aesthetic that blends personal and collective histories, resulting in a cinematic language akin to poetry and dreams.
Mehdi's films have been featured at prominent international and national festivals and exhibitions. These include events in Brazil, Moscow, Spain, Italy, Peru, Romania, and India. He has also taught film studies and direction at institutions like Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and Seamedu Media School.
In 2023, his work was featured in his first retrospective at the Millennium Film Workshop in New York. Mehdi is the recipient of the 2023 Berlin Fellowship in the Film and Media Arts category, awarded by Junge Akademie, Akademie der Künste, Berlin.

Suruchi sharma
Screening & Talk
Suruchi Sharma is a filmmaker focused on narrative exploration of themes of culture, heritage and sustainability. An alumna of the National institute of Design, she is also a keen ethnographer and researcher. She has attempted to bring folk traditions to the fore through series of musical
documentaries while also finding opportunities to document and archive unique local stories. Suruchi was a UNESCO- Sahapedia research fellow and has also worked for broadcasters like The Epic Channel, TVF, National Geographic Channel among others. Founder of boutique film studio – Ainak, and a writer’s residency called Rewrite, she is currently building an arts-friendly ecosystem in her home state. Her work has brought accolades like the Jury Prize at IDSFFK 2017, the Forum Lenteng Award at Arkipel Film Festival 2017, and recognition at the 69th National Awards.
Know more at www.suruchisharma.in

Suruchi sharma
Screening & Talk
Suruchi Sharma is a filmmaker focused on narrative exploration of themes of culture, heritage and
sustainability. An alumna of the National institute of Design, she is also a keen ethnographer and researcher. She has attempted to bring folk traditions to the fore through series of musical documentaries while also finding opportunities to document and archive unique local stories. Suruchi was a UNESCO- Sahapedia research fellow and has also worked for broadcasters like The Epic Channel, TVF, National Geographic Channel among others. Founder of boutique film studio – Ainak, and a writer’s residency called Rewrite, she is currently building an arts-friendly ecosystem in her home state. Her work has brought accolades like the Jury Prize at IDSFFK 2017, the Forum Lenteng Award at Arkipel Film Festival 2017, and recognition at the 69th National Awards.
Know more at www.suruchisharma.in
Shahi a.j
Screening & Talk
Shahi is a Kerala-based filmmaker, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, and a fellow of the India Foundation for the Arts. He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor at St. Joseph College of Communication. His film works are essayistic and
experimental, where he adopts strands from mixed media. Having a strong literary background, Shahi´s works seek to find a unique language embracing literary and cinematic modes. His debut feature-length film ´Letters unwritten to Naiyer Masud’ was screened at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, in 2023.


Shahi a.j
Screening & Talk
Shahi is a Kerala-based filmmaker, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, and a fellow of the
India Foundation for the Arts. He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor at St. Joseph College of Communication. His film works are essayistic and experimental, where he adopts strands from mixed media. Having a strong literary background, Shahi´s works seek to find a unique language embracing literary and cinematic modes. His debut feature-length film ´Letters unwritten to Naiyer Masud’ was screened at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, in 2023.

Mukul haloi
Founder , Mentor
Mukul is a filmmaker and educator from Assam. his works dwell between sensorial exploration and reflection on the socio-politics of his homeland. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, Docnomads European Masters, Berlinale Talents, Locarno Filmmakers
Academy, and the University of Delhi.
He's also a fellow of the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, Early Career Fellowship-TISS, and Nagari Film Fellowship-Charles Correa Foundation. His notable works include ‘Tales from Our Childhood,’ ‘Letter to Home,’ and ‘Days of Autumn´, which have received numerous awards, including the ‘Bala Kailasam Memorial Award,’ ‘Best Short at IDSFFK,’ and ‘Best Short – Cinema Experimenta,’ among others.
His films have been showcased at renowned film festivals such as the Locarno Film Festival, Yamagata Film Festival, Mumbai Indian Film Festival, Arkipel Jakarta, Curtas Vila do Conde, and many more. He has been teaching film through numerous online and offline workshops and at various Indian universities, including short courses at FTII and Ashoka University.

Mukul haloi
Founder , Mentor
Mukul is a filmmaker and educator from Assam. his works dwell between sensorial exploration and
reflection on the socio-politics of his homeland. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, Docnomads European Masters, Berlinale Talents, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, and the University of Delhi.
He's also a fellow of the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, Early Career Fellowship-TISS, and Nagari Film Fellowship-Charles Correa Foundation. His notable works include ‘Tales from Our Childhood,’ ‘Letter to Home,’ and ‘Days of Autumn´, which have received numerous awards, including the ‘Bala Kailasam Memorial Award,’ ‘Best Short at IDSFFK,’ and ‘Best Short – Cinema Experimenta,’ among others.
His films have been showcased at renowned film festivals such as the Locarno Film Festival, Yamagata Film Festival, Mumbai Indian Film Festival, Arkipel Jakarta, Curtas Vila do Conde, and many more. He has been teaching film through numerous online and offline workshops and at various Indian universities, including short courses at FTII and Ashoka University.
Sachin
Founder , Mentor
Sachin is a Rajasthan-based filmmaker who employs lens-based art to comprehend the world around him and express his ideas with an experimental approach. Coming from a family of farmers, Sachin is deeply invested in the visual exploration of agricultural practices in rural
communities and their interconnectedness with socio- ecological factors. He is an alumnus of Docnomads – Erasmus Masters, Interaction- Serbia, Taiwan Pitch, SUPVA, Rohtak, and the Central University of Rajasthan. His films have been shown at festivals including IDFA, IDSFFK, Design Museum UK, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Busan Film Festival, IFFI Goa, and many others.
Sachin’s filmography includes fifteen short films with various key roles from direction, cinematography, editing to producing. In addition to his filmmaking practice, he has taught cinema at Chandigarh University and Parul University Vadodara.


Sachin
Founder , Mentor
Sachin is a Rajasthan-based filmmaker who employs lens-based art to comprehend the world around
him and express his ideas with an experimental approach. Coming from a family of farmers, Sachin is deeply invested in the visual exploration of agricultural practices in rural communities and their interconnectedness with socio- ecological factors. He is an alumnus of Docnomads – Erasmus Masters, Interaction- Serbia, Taiwan Pitch, SUPVA, Rohtak, and the Central University of Rajasthan. His films have been shown at festivals including IDFA, IDSFFK, Design Museum UK, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Busan Film Festival, IFFI Goa, and many others.
Sachin’s filmography includes fifteen short films with various key roles from direction, cinematography, editing to producing. In addition to his filmmaking practice, he has taught cinema at Chandigarh University and Parul University Vadodara.

Siddhant Sarin
Founder , Mentor
Siddhant Sarin is a documentary filmmaker from India. His award-winning debut film, ‘Ayena (Mirror)’ gained accolades at festivals such as the Krakow Film Festival, MAMI, Dokfest München, Puerto Rico Film Festival, and Kino Pavasaris, among others. He represents his production
company Teh Films, which formed the world’s very first Indian, Lithuanian, and South Korean co-production team. His recent short documentary ‘MUM’ premiered at Fipadoc, CinemaJove, Guanajuato IFF and won an award at IDSFFK, Kerala, India.
He graduated as an Erasmus Mundus scholar at Docnomads and is an alumnus of FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague), DFFB (German Film & Television Academy), and Interaction (Serbia), specializing in cinematography. He graduated from Govt. Law College, Mumbai before pursuing his filmmaking career. He envisions author-driven artwork that is reflective and socially relevant.

Siddhant Sarin
Founder , Mentor
Siddhant Sarin is a documentary film maker from India. His award-winning debut film, ‘Ayena (Mirror)’
gained accolades at festivals such as the Krakow Film Festival, MAMI, Dokfest München, Puerto Rico Film Festival, and Kino Pavasaris, among others. He represents his production company Teh Films, which formed the world’s very first Indian, Lithuanian, and South Korean co-production team. His recent short documentary ‘MUM’ premiered at Fipadoc, CinemaJove, Guanajuato IFF and won an award at IDSFFK, Kerala, India.
He graduated as an Erasmus Mundus scholar at Docnomads and is an alumnus of FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague), DFFB (German Film & Television Academy), and Interaction (Serbia), specializing in cinematography. He graduated from Govt. Law College, Mumbai before pursuing his filmmaking career. He envisions author-driven artwork that is reflective and socially relevant.