FTII films that were celebrated across the globe

The students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) have been known to make films that are lauded not just in the country but across the globe. We bring you the films that made it to national and international film festivals and won laurels, since the beginning of last year.
Film: Killa
Awards: Crystal Bear for Best Film in Generation K Plus Category at the Berlin Film Festival (2014).Also received special mention from the international jury.
What the film is about: The film is about a child and his mother and what he goes through when they undergo relocation. It is a coming of age movie about the kinds of changes that the child experiences in terms of culture, food, climate and people. Director speaks: Post the film’s release there has been no looking back for director, Avinash Arun, who graduated in 2012. “Making this film was very nostalgic as I experienced a similar thing. I always remembered my childhood friends that I lost contact with because of relocating to different cities. It is a documentation of such moments. I just wrapped up shooting with Nishikant Kamat for a film with Irrfan.”
Film: Kaatal
Awards: Best Student Film Award, Fiji International Film Festival (2013). Three National Awards in 2013 — Best Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Short Fiction
What the film is about: Kaatal tells a story of a couple who meets for the last time before the girl moves to another city. “The script is both fragile and daring as there is nothing happening in the frame between the couple who are not talking to each other. I did not know how to put it in words, so it was kind of a challenge for me,” said Vikrant. Director speaks: Pawar has assisted filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni for films like Deool and Vihir and is currently working on Highway with Girish Kulkarni and Umesh. He is currently aiming at only Marathi films. “I prefer making Marathi films because this is the language I can think in,” Speaking on the issues faced by short films, he said, “Short films hardly get any exposure and never manage to reach the general audience.”
Film: Love. Love. Love.
Awards: Sundance Film Festival (2014), Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction, Dvijenie Film Festival, Russia (2014), Best Short Film, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (2014), Jury Honourable Mention, Nashville Film Festival (2014)
What the film is about: “Set against the breathtaking Russian winter landscape, Love. Love. Love. is a film about Russian women and what love means to them. Chronicled from the viewpoint of young girls to old Babooshkas, from cities to villages, it explores the common thread of ‘love’,” shared Sandhya Sundaram, director. Director speaks: A final year FTII student, Sandhya’s film was a part of a Russian project that she took up a few months ago. “I met a lot of people during making Love.Love.Love and it helped my network grow. I would like to collaborate with them in the future once I complete the diploma film that I am currently working on,” she said.
Film: Dwand
Awards: Best Short Film award at the Ladakh International Film Festival (2013), Kodak Vision Prize at the International Student Film Festival Pisek of Czech Republic (2013) and Special Jury Mention at Cinemaiubit International Short Film Festival, Romania (December 2012).
What the film is about: “Based in a Chhattisgarh village, the film is about an ongoing civil war between naxalites and the armymen. A barber, who sympathises with the Naxals is torn between the warring factions when he has to shave an unarmed army captain,” said Abhilash Vijayan, the director. Director speaks: Abhilash Vijayan who is presently working on the post production of his diploma film wants to go back to the Kerala film industry after completing his education. “Since I don’t know Marathi I would not be comfortable making films in it and wish to go back to Kerala and make films in my mother tongue, Malayalam,” said Vijayan.
Film: Black O’ Whyte
Awards: Won the Best Direction Award for Animation at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (2014) and the Kerala State Award for Best Animation (2014).
What the film is about: Jithindas CH and Sibin Anto M’s animated film Black o’ Whyte deals with traffic problems and issues of road crossing. “It is a horror comedy flick where two inorganic characters are seen discussing traffic issues,” said Jithindas CH, director. Director speaks: Jithindas is presently working with a Kochi based animation company as a director. “I have joined this company as I need some financial backup to focus entirely on animation films later on,” said Jithindas, who graduated in 2013.
Film: Allah is Great Awards: Second Best Film Award at the Dubai International Film Festival (Shorts Section) (2013) and Best Cinematography Award in Kodak India Film School Competition (2013) What the film is about: “The film is about a foreigner who comes to India and misses his flight back home. It’s an Indian road film from a foreigner’s point of view. Andrea Iannetta, the director, was an inspiration for the film,” said Avinash Arun, the cinematographer. Director speaks: Andrea Iannetta, currently in Berlin, is making his first feature film, which will be an Indo-Italian production. “I am writing the script of my feature film which will be made in Italian, English and Hindi. I have found an Italian financier and am looking for an Indian one,” said Andrea.
Film: Makara
Awards: Won the National Students Film Award (2013), premiered in the Cinemaxxi section at the Rome Film Festival (2013), the International Film Festival India, Goa (2013).
What the film is about: Makara is a realistic depiction of the lives of crocodiles living in Mumbai’s Powai lake. “The film narrates the current situation, with the help of mythical elements and story telling that are used to showcase the lives of these crocodiles,” said Prantik Narayan Basu, director. Director speaks: Prantik is currently working in Haryana on a short film about a land surveyor who goes on a road trip. “Eventually, I am planning to work in Kolkata and stick to docu-fiction films. The line between documentary and fiction has been blurred now and I want to play with reality to make a story out of it. I am interested in blending the two,” said Prantik.