Latest news with #78thFestivaldeCannes2025
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
SRFTI students' film selected for La Cinef competitive section at 2025 Cannes Film Fest
New Delhi, A short film by students of Kolkata's prestigious Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute has been selected for La Cinef Competitive section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. "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.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
SRFTI film on Nigerian footballer selected for Cannes festival
1 2 3 4 Kolkata: A short film from SRFTI featuring a 23-year-old Nigerian footballer , who came to play seven-side games in the city and ended up being an actor, was officially selected for the 78th Festival de Cannes 2025 in the prestigious La Cinef section. ' A Doll Made Up of Clay ', directed by an Ethiopian student of SRFTI and presented by the institute's department of producing for film & TV, became the fourth student film from the institute to secure an official place at Cannes. The Yoruba and Bengali-language film, written and directed by Kokob Gebrehweria Tesfay and produced by Sahil Manoj Ingle of SRFTI, tells the story of a young Nigerian footballer. After selling his father's land to pursue a football career in India, the protagonist suffered a devastating injury that shattered his dreams. Struggling with loss and desperation, he sought solace and escape through the healing power of his ancestral rituals. "This is an exercise where producing students of our institute spearhead the project. This department is new and has been successfully doing interesting work. Cinef is a very prestigious students' film segment at Cannes and we are thrilled with this achievement," said SRFTI director Samiran Datta. Describing this film as part of the institute's zero-budget programme, Ingle said: "SRFTI provides us with the shooting location and the studios. I had to mobilise resources from within or outside the institute. That is the real challenge that we had to learn. It is a huge honour that the film made in this manner will be screened at Cannes." The director was born in Zalmbessa, which is in the Tigray state of Ethiopia. After completing his graduation from the Aabbis Ababa University in theatrical arts, he received a scholarship from the Indian Council of Cultural Research and took up a direction and screenplay writing course at SRFTI. The filmmaker expressed immense satisfaction regarding the project, stating, "I made a documentary on African footballers in Kolkata. As an African filmmaker, this story is very close to my heart. The film is inspired by the real-life experiences of these young men — a story of hope, identity, transformation, and survival. I had the privilege of being mentored by Putul Mahmood, Mehdi Jaan, and Siladitya Sanyal throughout this project," the director said about his 24-minute-long film. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The main character is portrayed by Ahmed, who is a non-professional actor. Ahmed belongs to the Yoruba ethnic group that is primarily located in southwestern Nigeria. "Many African players come to Kolkata to play the seven-side or five-side games. We earn per match and that is what brings us here. I acted in primary school plays but never faced the camera before. When asked to act, I just played myself in front of the camera," Ahmed said. A follower of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Ahmed loves films by SRK and Salman. "I have never been to France, but it is one of my preferred destinations," he said.
