GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
BHOPAL, AUG 22
Two science-based films produced by Ahmedabad-based Friday Fiction Films and written and directed by Tanmay Shah, a former IITian, have been selected for screening at the 12th edition of National Science Film Festival being held in Bhopal.
The 12th edition of National Science Film Festival (NSFF), a five-day science education and storytelling through the medium of cinema, kicked off at Bhopal’s Ravindra Bhavan auditorium on MondayThis is the first time that the Festival is being held in Madhya Pradesh.
Talking with navjeevanexpress.com, Tanmay Shah said, “Out of 246 films submitted, 71 films, including PHOTONS+, a short film on light pollution and SAND HOGS, a documentary on technological interventions in development projects – have been shortlisted for screening at the film festival. This is our humble effort to popularize STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through the medium of cinema. With this CSR initiative, we are igniting the young minds with wings of fire to take a plunge in science and technology.”
Well-known documentary maker Siddharth Kak and actor Rajeev Verma will be the chief guests at the Festival, held under the aegis of the Vigyan Prasar initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
NSFF convener and scientist at Vigyan Prasar, Nimish Kapoor said that the platform is meant to encourage and promote films on Science, technology and environment.
There are four categories in the film Festival — films funded/made by government and non-government institutions, films made by independent filmmakers, films made by degree, diploma-level students and research scholars, and films made by school students.
PHOTONS+: A short film on light pollution
PHOTONS+, a short fiction film on creating awareness about light pollution has been selected at the 12th National Science Film Festival of India. The film is a story of a boy who is in love with the plants at his home and extends his care by giving his father a strong life lesson. Light pollution has been increasingly over-looked by many. The night sky no more shows us clear stars like before, we have to move to highways and the outskirts of cities to see anything nearest astronomical in nature. The film is backed by a scientific experiment and its findings about impact of light pollution on plants and trees.
SAND HOGS: A documentary on technological interventions in development projects
SAND HOGS, is a one-hour documentary on recent technological interventions done at the most difficult topological terrains of the world- the Himalayas. The film was shot at temperatures as low as -25 degree celsius. The film shows a mighty attempt by various government and private organisations for testing an aerial survey method to assist infrastructure projects in the regions of Manali, Leh and Jammu. The film took 22 months to complete and it talks about science, technology, human lives and team work.
Tanmay Shah, TEDx speaker and a Limca Book of Records Holder, is known for his feat of making 52 short films in 52 weeks. He also holds India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records and Golden Book of World Records. In January 2022, his documentary-‘Walls That Matter’ won at the Jaipur International Film Festival and was selected as the top 10 documentary films at the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival in May 2022.
His short documentary- ‘Pinch of Salt’ has won 19 international film festival awards and 33 official selections. His documentary – Walls That Matter has won 13 international film festival awards and 20 official selections till now.
