SRFTI alumnus only Indian among 24 emerging Asian filmmakers at Busan
KOLKATA: Arnab Laha has been officially selected as one of the 24 emerging filmmakers from across Asia, out of 40 countries, and will attend the prestigious Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).
The alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) is the only talent from India to be selected for the festival's prestigious educational programme called CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy.
Laha was selected among eight cinematographers from all over Asia and will be shooting one short film that will be screened at BIFF.
The intensive 20-day programme will run from Sept 7 to Sept 26. For cine enthusiasts in Kolkata, BIFF is recognised as Asia's largest and most influential film festival and is regarded as one of the six top festivals in the world, alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Toronto.
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This highly competitive fellowship programme is a platform for talented filmmakers to receive mentorship from global industry leaders, collaborate across cultures, and premiere their work on the international stage. The other fellows are from Iran, China, Nepal, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, Lebanon and Pakistan.
According to Laha, this selection is a big step forward since it will allow him to deeply understand how filmmakers in South Korea operate—especially in the post-Bong Joon-ho era, when global storytelling standards have risen.
'I'll get to interact with experts, connect with renowned South Asian filmmakers, and gain insights into the Asian film market.
This exposure will directly influence my next feature, as I aim to raise the bar for Bengali cinema to meet international standards. As part of BAFA, I'm attending the 'Bridge to Hollywood' workshop with the Motion Picture Association.
It offers mentorship from a Hollywood producer and a pitching competition, with a chance to attend film events in the US and Australia,' Laha said.
The fellowship will give Laha a 'chance to co-create'. He will be collaborating with an Iranian director to make a five-to-seven-minute short film for an international audience. 'It will premiere at BIFF, giving me a strong platform for global circulation and cultural exchange through cinema,' Laha added.
Laha's journey began at St. Xavier's College with a foundation in multimedia and animation before he joined SRFTI's cinematography department.
A landmark in his career was serving as the cinematographer for 'The Horse from Heaven', India's official entry to the 95th Academy Awards, Oscars in the Best Live Action Short Film category.
His filmography includes 'The Strange Life of Dhrubo' (2025), 'Academy of Fine Arts' (2025), 'Colored Sweets' (2024), 'Horse From Heaven' (2022), and 'Termites' (2021). His cinematography in 'The Strange Life of Dhrubo', which won the Best Film award in the Bengali Panorama segment of KIFF, was lauded by many.
Laha thanked his exposure and training at St. Xavier's and SRFTI for shaping him as a multi-disciplinary artist. 'Both institutions shaped me deeply. St Xavier's nurtured my roots in painting and graphic design, and being a topper there gave me the confidence and mentorship to pursue any creative direction. SRFTI provided rigorous training, a treasure of cinema books, and access to great minds like Anil Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, and Sudeep Chatterjee.
Together, they helped me grow as a holistic artist, not just a technician,' he said.
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