Sign up for this workshop in Mumbai to learn all about non-fiction filmmaking

A moment from legendary filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke’s movie, Kaliya Mardan (1919). Pic Courtesy/YouTube

In an attempt to support emerging talent and film enthusiasts from across the country, the Mumbai Indie Film Society, founded in 2018, has introduced a new initiative, Horizon: A Documentary Conclave. This is a three-day event, scheduled between October 24 and October 27, aiming to provide knowledge about the art of making a documentary film. The series of events will be a blend of a workshop, a book narration, and an interactive session by an industry professional. Horizon is a beginner-friendly event that is open to all aspiring filmmakers.

Sharib Hashmi and Sriram Raghavan at a previous discussion

"We created this initiative to provide a platform that will facilitate the right support and guidance to those who aspire to tell their stories to a wider audience through their films," Badrinaath Sabat, founder of the Mumbai Indie Film Society, told this writer. Girish Dwibhashyam, vice president, and strategy and business head of streaming platform Docubay, will host an interactive session on the scope of non-fiction filmmaking in India and how one can strategically place films for the worldwide audience and access the potential funding for the story ideas. This discussion on October 24 will offer insight into independent filmmaking as a career.

Badrinaath Sabat

In another segment, screenwriter and director, Kamal Swaroop, best known for his 1988 film Om-Dar-B-Dar, will be narrating his memoir, Tracing Phalke, which will take you through the life and legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke, hailed as the father of Indian cinema. In this session, participants will get to watch a montage of the collective works of Phalke. This session (October 26) will give a glimpse of his influence on modern-day filmmaking. The documentary filmmaking workshop on October 27, will be conducted by Iranian-North American filmmaker Hossein Martin Fazeli, known for his 2007 short film, The Tale of Nazinins, and his recent project, Phoolan. Fazeli will take participants through the process of budget planning, film distribution, and conceptualising a compelling narrative. His session will cover techniques used in independent filmmaking during which he will also refer to his documentaries as case studies.

LAST DATE TO REGISTER
October 17 ON October 24, 6.30 pm; October 26, 2 pm; October 27, 3 pm
Log on to @mumbaiindiefilmsociety5.0 (to register)
AT Creative Adda 191, Versova, Andheri West.
ENTRY Rs 499 onwards