We are delighted to announce that the short film made by LFS graduate Pratyusha Gupta has been slected for the Winter Film Awards, and will be screened in New York 23rd February 2016.
Winter Film Awards is an all-volunteer women and minority-run organization founded in 2011 by NYC filmmakers and arts enthusiasts. It was built with the dream of making indie film more accessible to the public and providing driven, talented artists the opportunity to break through competitive barriers to establish meaningful careers in film.
In Safar teenage Gouri, determined to carve out a better future for herself, leaves behind a life of prostitution that was forced upon her at a young age and takes a job as a caregiver for a mistrusting elderly widow. But just as she starts to find her footing in this new life, Gouri’s past rears its ugly head again.
Safar has already found success on the festival circuit, winning Best Short Film Mumbai Women’s International Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Short at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles; and German Star of India for Best Short at Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart.
Pratyusha Gupta was born in Madras, India. She worked in documentary, television and advertising in Mumbai for over six years and graduated with an MA in Filmmaking (Direction) from the London Film School in March 2013. Born to parents from very different communities in India, Pratyusha has always been fascinated by questions of identity, class and religion – themes that dominate her films. She is currently working on a feature-length film as a writer/director while having started her own product.
You can watch the trailer for Safar here.