The anticipation for this year's Academy Awards was unlike any other. All eyes were set on India, with multiple nominations in various categories. Making history with their magnificent win, Guneet Monga and Kartiki Gonsalves’ celebrated film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ bagged the award for ‘Best Documentary Short’.
Making it the first ever oscar win for an Indian production, more importantly a tale presented by two women storytellers. The film was competing against Haulout, How Do You Measure a Year?, The Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger At The Gate. The director went on to thank the Academy and dedicated the win to her "motherland, India".
"I stand here today to speak for the sacred bond between us and our natural world, for the respect of indigenous communities, and empathy towards other living beings we share space with and finally, for coexistence".Kartiki Gonsalves
The film explores a heartwarming and sensitive bond between an orphaned baby elephant and his caretakers. It has garnered recognition at a global scale and now the Oscar win has cemented its place in the hall of fame for the most impactful documentaries of all time. In addition to this historic win, RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’ became the first Indian soundtrack to win ‘Best Original Song’.
While the industry is showering their praises on the two winners it is without a doubt a defining moment of representation for South Asian storytellers at large. Its victory will fuel many young makers with optimism and hope; giving them the confidence and the inspiratsion to narrate compelling tales and share them with audiences all around the world. Here’s to the visionaries who have set the stage for success and to hopefully much more to come.
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