SRFTI students' film selected for La Cinef competitive section at 2025 Cannes Film Fest
"A Doll Made Up of Clay" is part of the 16 film lineup for the segment, which is dedicated to showcasing film school fiction or animated films.
The official X handle of the SRFTI shared the news on Friday.
"SRFTI is thrilled to announce that our short film 'A Doll Made Up of Clay', presented by the Department of Producing for Film & TV, has been OFFICIALLY SELECTED for the 78th Festival de Cannes 2025 in the prestigious La Cinef section! Huge congratulations to our talented students who made this achievement possible," the institute posted.
"A Doll Made Up of Clay" is written and directed by Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay, an Ethiopian student currently pursuing direction & screenplay writing course from SRFTI.
The film follows Oluwaseyi, a young Nigerian footballer, who after selling his father's land to chase a football career in India suffers a devastating injury that ends his dreams. Lost and desperate, he seeks escape through the healing power of his ancestral rituals, according to the official synopsis.
In a statement, posted on his Instagram page, Tesfay said the film was inspired by the untold stories of African footballers living in India — navigating dreams, struggles, and resilience far from home.
"Being selected as both writer and director, as an international student, is more than an achievement. It's a reflection of where I come from, the stories I carry, and the voices I strive to represent.. To everyone who stood beside me through the highs and the lows - thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.
The film is produced by Sahil Ingle with cinematography by Vinod Kumar. Editing is handled by Haru and Mahmud Abu Naser, while sound design and mixing are crafted by Soham Pal. The music for the film is composed by Himangshu Saikia.
For the La Cinef segment, the organisers have selected 13 live-action and 3 animated films from 2,700 submissions by film schools worldwide.
The La Cinef jury is headed by German writer-director Maren Ade and also includes American filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green, French singer-actor Camelia Jordana, Spanish producer Jose Maria Prado Garcia and Croatian filmmaker Nebojsa Slijepcevic.
They will present the prizes during a ceremony preceding the screening of the winning films on May 22, at the Bunuel Theatre.
The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will run from May 13 to 24.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
7 hours ago
- India.com
Bigg Boss 19 contestant list: From Gaurav Khanna, Payal Dhaare to Dheeraj Dhoopar, 6 participants confirmed; last two are…
Bigg Boss 19 Confirm Contestant List: There are not many days left for the premiere of Salman Khan hosted reality TV show Bigg Boss 19, so everyone wants to know whether their favorite celebrity will be in this season or not. Bigg Boss Taza Khabar, a platform that shares news related to Bigg Boss, has so far confirmed 6 celebrities to be in the show. So let's know their names. Payal Dhaare Payal Dhare is said to be a confirmed contestant in Bigg Boss 19. Payal is a big name in the gaming world and with 40 lakh subscribers, she can benefit the show a lot in terms of TRP. Dheeraj Dhoopar The audience has been wanting to see Kundali Bhagya fame actor Dheeraj Dhoopar in the Bigg Boss house for a long time. According to the latest news of Bigg Boss, Dheeraj is a confirmed contestant in this season. Dheeraj started his career with modeling. Till now, he has appeared in Sasural Simar Ka, Kundali Bhagya, Mrs. Tendulkar, Naagin 5 and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10. Shri Chandra Apart from Shriram Chandra, Hunar Hali will also be a part of Salman Khan's show. Both the players can add a lot of drama to TV's biggest reality show. Shriram Chandra is a star singer-performer who has a fan following of crores. Hunar Hali Apart from Shriram Chandra, Hunar Hali will also be a part of Salman Khan's show. Both players can add a lot of drama to TV's biggest reality show. Hunar, who started her career with 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki', has appeared in 'Ek Boond Ishq' and 'Thapki Pyar Ki'. She received a lot of praise for her role of Kaikeyi in Veer Hanuman serial. Siwet Tomar Fans have been demanding for a long time that Siwet Tomar, who was a part of 'Splitsvilla 15', would come in Bigg Boss 19, now 'BB Latest News' has confirmed his coming in the show. Gaurav Khanna Actor Gaurav Khanna, who played the character of Anuj Kapadia in the serial Anupama, is also confirmed to be on Salman Khan's show. It is known that Gaurav has won Master Chef before this.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
Once Bollywood's highest paid child star, started working at age 4, was abused by her mother, passed away at only 51. Nobody from Bollywood attended her funeral
Parental Betrayal and Exploitation A Scandal That Split the Family A Child's Desperation to Escape An Early Decline in Stardom Bitterness Toward the Past Moments of Recognition Amid Hardship The Unfulfilled Second Act A Quiet, Lonely End A Life That Echoes a Larger Tragedy Salma Baig, later known by her screen name Naaz , was born in Mumbai in 1944. According to multiple film archives, she quickly became one of Hindi cinema's most sought-after child actors, earning the highest pay in her category. While fame came early, it also brought profound personal turmoil. As chronicled in Stardust magazine, Naaz's career and childhood were shaped—and scarred—by her mother's exploitation. The young actress's father, Mirza Dawood Baig, was a struggling story writer whose inconsistent income left the family in financial hardship. Naaz was pushed onto the stage at the tender age of four, earning around a hundred rupees per performance, a sum that became the family's main source of initially enjoyed dancing, unaware that she was gradually being turned into the sole breadwinner of the household. The same Stardust interview records her recollection of how quickly her passion was transformed into an unrelenting obligation, stripping her of the carefree childhood other children took for openly stated in Stardust that her resentment was not directed toward her ailing father, but toward her mother, whose ambitions became all-consuming. She recalled her mother's refusal of Raj Kapoor's generous offer to send her to school in Switzerland, instead choosing to keep Naaz working continuously. Offers from major studios were accepted without question, ensuring there was no break in her shooting described her home life as devoid of affection or basic care. Even after working exhausting four-shift days, she would return to parents embroiled in their own disputes, indifferent to her needs. She repeatedly mentioned in interviews that she went to bed hungry countless times, without even a glass of milk, despite the fact that her earnings supported the entire per Naaz's account to Stardust, when her career as a child star began to flourish, her mother entered a relationship with a cameraman and forced her husband out of the family home. For two years, Naaz had no contact with her father and no knowledge of his whereabouts. During this period, she appeared in acclaimed films such as Boot Polish—produced by RK Studios—which earned her a special honor at the Cannes Film Festival, and Devdas, alongside leading stars of the time, including Dilip Kumar and Nargis She worked with a host of Bollywood icons, from Raj Kapoor to Asha Parekh. However, these professional successes stood in stark contrast to the emotional isolation she experienced behind the depth of Naaz's despair emerged in her recollections of two separate suicide attempts during childhood, both prevented by her ayah (nanny). In her words to Stardust, she had learned from her nanny's stories that people sometimes ended their lives by jumping into a well. Feeling suffocated by her circumstances, she ran toward the well on two occasions, only to be stopped each time by her mother's reaction to the first attempt was not compassion but rage. Instead of consoling her, she slapped Naaz and berated her. This response deepened Naaz's hopelessness, leaving her convinced that her suffering was invisible to the one person who should have protected many child actors, Naaz struggled to transition into adult roles. She shifted her focus to voice dubbing for South Indian actresses in Hindi films, including Sridevi, as reported in industry profiles. However, tensions arose when Naaz began dubbing for other leading ladies, prompting Sridevi to cut professional ties with her. Despite the setback, Naaz persisted, lending her voice to numerous performers and working in television programming, including special broadcasts for Bombay husband, actor Subbiraj—who was distantly related to the Kapoor family—was also active in dubbing work. Naaz often accompanied him on stage shows such as Kalyanji-Anandji musical events, both in India and abroad. She told Stardust that she still hoped for one more big opportunity to reclaim the fame she once had, believing that her talent had been interviews, Naaz was candid about her unresolved resentment toward her mother and the man she had an affair with, accusing them of using her earnings for their personal gain. She revealed that the man married off all three of his daughters with the money she had earned through grueling workdays. This financial and emotional exploitation left her with no savings and no stability, despite decades in the her personal life was turbulent, Naaz's work in Boot Polish remained a career highlight. According to film historian records, her portrayal of a resilient street child captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, and the Cannes recognition brought international attention. Yet, even these accolades could not alter the trajectory of her personal circumstances, as her mother continued to control her income and deny her chance to study or develop outside the film industry was repeatedly blocked, reinforcing the cycle that kept her financially tied to her family's admitted in her Stardust conversation that, even after 30 years in the business, she was financially and professionally in the same place she had been at the start. She expressed hope that one day she might be recognized again, this time for her skill rather than her childhood fame. Unfortunately, that break never she remained active in smaller projects and continued dubbing, the glory days of working alongside Bollywood's biggest names were long gone. Her later life was far from the security or recognition that many might have assumed a former child star would final years were marked by declining health. According to her husband's account, she was a habitual tobacco chewer, a practice that contributed to her chronic liver disease. Her condition worsened until she slipped into a coma, passing away in 1995 at the age of a poignant detail shared by filmmaker and journalist Khalid Mohammed in The Daily Eye, not a single member of the film fraternity attended her funeral. The woman who had once shared the screen with cinema legends was laid to rest without the presence of the industry that had once celebrated story is not just a personal tragedy—it mirrors the fate of many child actors in Indian cinema whose early fame is built on the exploitation of their innocence and talent. Her career, documented in sources like Stardust and The Daily Eye, reveals the stark gap between public perception and private suffering. While audiences saw her as a smiling, spirited performer, behind the scenes she endured neglect, emotional abuse, and relentless pressure to provide for a family that gave little in journey—from a bright star in Boot Polish to a lonely figure in the dubbing studio—remains one of Bollywood's most sobering cautionary tales.
News18
16 hours ago
- News18
Pooja Hegde On Monica Bellucci's Coolie Song Comment: ‘Biggest Compliment Ever'
Last Updated: Rajinikanth's Coolie, releasing August 14, is generating buzz with its action sequences and viral song featuring Pooja Hegde. Monica Bellucci praised the track. As the countdown begins for the release of Coolie on August 14, excitement is at an all-time high. Rajinikanth's action-packed film is creating immense buzz for its intense action sequences, mass entertainment, and a thumping soundtrack, Monica. The song, featuring actress Pooja Hegde in a special appearance, quickly went viral. The high-energy number earned praise from fans across the globe, with over 5 million views within 24 hours of release. The most unexpected praise came from none other than the song's inspiration—Italian actress Monica Bellucci. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Pooja Hegde revealed her delight upon learning that Bellucci had seen and appreciated the track at the Cannes Film Festival. 'Oh, really? Wow. That's the biggest compliment ever," she responded, adding, 'I've actually always loved Monica Bellucci. She was so iconic in her own way for her persona. She didn't really need to do much. At the same time, she had a very unique style and a unique voice in terms of how she carried herself. So it was a big feat. But I'm glad. I'm glad she liked it." Pooja Hedge credits fans for the achievement The actress also credited fans for helping the song reach Bellucci. Appreciating the fans efforts, Pooja said, 'I believe a lot of people were commenting on her Instagram, and a lot of Tamil fans were saying, 'Please go watch Coolie's song.'" Pooja Hedge is grateful to director Lokesh Kanagaraj Speaking about the creative vision behind the song, Pooja expressed gratitude for the faith shown by director Lokesh Kanagaraj. She stated, 'For a director like him to say that and put their money where their mouth is by hiring me for that job, and for it to help the film, that's very exciting for me." 'It tells me I can contribute to tickets; I bring value. And these are the people whose opinion I should worry about, not so much anyone else's," Pooja added. Coolie's Storyline and star-studded line-up Penned by Chandhru Anbazhagan and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie promises a blend of action and drama. It boasts a powerhouse ensemble cast, including Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj in key roles. The film also features cameo appearances by Aamir Khan and Pooja Hegde. Talking about the storyline, the film centres around a gold smuggler, Deva (Rajinikanth). He uses antique watches to rebuild his criminal empire, but his plan leads to the formation of a gripping empire of crime, greed, and time manipulation. Coolie's Box Office Clash The action film is set for a major box office clash with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's War 2. Directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra, the film is one of the most anticipated action thrillers of the year. The film, set against a backdrop of intense personal conflict and high-stakes espionage, sees the return of super-spy Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), and Jr NTR joins as the enigmatic Vikram. First Published: August 12, 2025, 15:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
