Episode Three:
Bharat Mirle* & Sudhanva Atri of Yogensha Productions (Co-Directors - “175 Grams”)
[*Unfortunately, Bharat was unable to attend the festival when his flight got cancelled due to the blizzard in New York, however, Sudhanva Atri (Director of Photography) and Alan Aranha (Assistant Editor) were able to make it in time. For this feature, we talked to both Bharat and Sudhanva.]
Captivating still from "175 Grams" click the picture to watch the movie!
Tongal: Looking back on your experience, what did the Sundance + Gates Short Film Challenge mean to you? What were some of your favorite moments and memories from your premiere, as well as from the Sundance Film Festival?
Bharat: I think the Sundance + Gates Short Film Challenge is a great initiative, especially for self-taught filmmakers like myself. Technology has made the craft of filmmaking accessible to many people, but the 'art' of it is something that we have to make a conscious effort to develop. Many of us independent filmmakers use our craft to make commercial content, just in order to pay the bills and...well...buy more equipment. I think it's quite easy to get caught up in the commercial stuff and that isn't a good thing. As filmmakers, we need to express ourselves and I think this initiative is a great opportunity for us to do that.
Sudhanva: Sundance & the Gates Challenge helped us as budding film makers dream bigger and instilled confidence into us to follow our dream and make more films. The whole experience of travelling to the US and seeing our film screened at Sundance left me with a sense of gratitude towards all of you and all my peers who came together to help make the film happen. I especially liked interacting with Diego luna during the screening because he said he really did like our film and he was so kind to us. We also had the opportunity to meet the makers of "Umrika", a fellow Indian film and we were both proud and inspired by their film and their journey.
Tongal: How has winning the Sundance Short Film Challenge impacted your life in the past year, both professionally and personally?
Bharat: It has given me a lot more confidence in my ability as a storyteller. It has also been this reassurance, that I'm on the right track and that I need to continue doing what I'm doing. Maybe do it a lot more often that’s all!
Sudhanva: Professionally, it has helped create credibility for us and we are treated with a bit more seriousness. Personally, it had given me a lot more energy and enthusiasm to film more and work on more projects.
Tongal: How has your film been received in the past year? Are there any news or updates as they relate to your film or your upcoming projects?
Bharat: The response has been great. I never knew that the frisbee community was so big, here in India. I hear from different people in the community that the film is a big hit with them and that makes me very happy. Of late, I find myself being drawn to fiction films, rather than documentaries. Last year, Sudhanva, Alan and I worked on a short film that Alan directed. I recently completed a short experimental film that's about 10 minutes long and I will be entering it into a few festivals this year. I am also working one a couple of other projects. They are in the early developmental stages.
Sudhanva: Our film had helped many youngsters in the ultimate frizbee community by opening doors for them. This has meant that the have gotten opportunities to work and study more and all in all access to better livelihood. Bharat already mentioned another film that he, Alan and I worked on. I had an opportunity to work with another team from the US on a feature length documentary called Women of the Mountain
Tongal: What are some of your creative goals for 2016? Any new skills, teams or projects you've developed and are excited about?
Bharat: This year, I plan on making more films. My aim is to tell longer and more elaborate stories and I have two projects that I've been working on since the end of last year and I'm quite excited about them. One of them is a feature film and it's something I hope to pursue seriously this year.
