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Tag: Sharad Mehra

  • Curious Eyes Cinema hits big with short film spotlighting Jaunsari tribe time at Visions du Réel

    Curious Eyes Cinema hits big with short film spotlighting Jaunsari tribe time at Visions du Réel

    MUMBAI: Ever felt annoyed by rain interrupting your Netflix binge? There’s a tribe whose entire existence revolves around it—and now even they’re fed up! Cue Rains Don’t Make Us Happy Anymore, a quirky yet poignant short film diving headfirst into the rapidly disappearing world of the Jaunsari tribe of Uttarakhand. And guess what? This delightful cinematic gem has bagged its world premiere at Europe’s leading documentary extravaganza, Visions du Réel. Talk about making a splash!

    Produced by Sharad Mehra under Curious Eyes Cinema and masterfully crafted by writer-director Yashasvi Juyal, the film is set to premiere on 10 April 2025, at the festival’s 56 edition in Nyon, Switzerland. The festival, running from 4-13 April 2025, boasts an impressive roster of 154 films from a record-breaking 57 countries.

    “We are absolutely thrilled that our film has been chosen for this prestigious festival featuring 154 films from a record 57 countries. It’s an incredible platform to share our labour of love and passion with a wider audience, and we can’t wait for the world to experience it,” says Mehra.

    Nestled in Lohari village within Uttarakhand’s remote Jaunsar-Bawar region, the documentary vividly captures the tribe’s fascinating yet fading culture. From faith healing rituals to intricate terraced farming, cultivating wheat, barley, and lentils, their traditions are rich—but increasingly rare. Why? Well, because young folks prefer city lights over candlelit Himalayan nights. Who can blame them?

    Juyal adds perspective, noting, “This film sheds light on the pressing issue of displacement caused by the development of hydroelectric projects and dams in the Himalayas, highlighting the profound impact on both the land and its people. With limited representation of Himalayan narratives, this selection marks a monumental moment for us, and we are excited to embark on this journey, sharing this important story with the world.”

    Will a short film finally put the Jaunsari tribe on the global cinematic map, or will their traditions fade faster than your New Year’s resolutions? Either way, it’s about time someone gave rains and tribes their due attention.

  • NFDC and Netflix partner to launch “The Voicebox”

    NFDC and Netflix partner to launch “The Voicebox”

    Mumbai: National Film Development Corporation, a public sector enterprise under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB), has joined hands with Netflix India to launch an upskilling program for voice-over artists in India called “The Voicebox”.

    The occasion was graced by Shri. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, MoIB, Vrunda Desai, joint secretary (Films), MoIB, Shri. Aditya Kutty, legal director, Netflix, Freddy Soames, head of competition policy, Netflix, and Sharad Mehra, chairman, Pearl Academy, among others.

    Today at Shastri Bhawan, Prithul Kumar, managing director, of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and joint secretary (Broadcasting II), MoIB and Kiran Desai, general counsel, and senior director – of business and legal affairs, Netflix India, signed the MoU to formalise the partnership, which aligns with NFDC and Netflix’s combined vision to promote Indian cinema and nurture talent in the Media and Entertainment industry.

    “The Voicebox” program will offer Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training for voice-over artists focusing on English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Gujarati languages. As part of the program, structured workshops, which would include training (featuring guest lectures and mentoring sessions), followed by an assessment, will be conducted in seven major cities of India – New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kochi. Each batch would accommodate up to 30 candidates, with 210 participants selected through preliminary screening. At least 50 per cent of the participants will be women.  

    Pearl Academy, India’s leading design institute will join as a Training Partner for this program. Seven top participants from every batch will be chosen to contribute to Netflix’s special project, “Azaadi ki Amrit Kahaniya”, where they will lend their voices to narrate stories reflecting the Indian independence movement.

    The program is open to professionals, preferably women, with more than two years of experience in the media and entertainment sector, who are eager to enhance their skills in voice-over.

    This Voicebox program is sponsored by the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, which has dedicated $100 million a year over five years to setting underrepresented communities up for success in the TV and film industries through programs all around the world.