Supporting Global Film, One Director at a Time

A hefty check of $10,000 and year-round support from one of indie film’s leading role models? This fantastic prize has been awarded to four moviemakers courtesy of the Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, presented by India-based conglomerate the Mahindra Group in cooperation with the Sundance Institute. Designed to recognize and support moviemakers from around the globe, the award provides its winners with financial support, mentoring from creative advisers, participation in a Sundance Institute Directors or Screenwriters Lab, attendance at the Sundance Film Festival and additional support over the course of the year.

“Our core purpose is to use all our resources to drive positive change in the lives of our stakeholders and communities across the world—to enable them to rise,” explains Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of the Mahindra Group. “The Global Filmmaking Award fits perfectly with this intent. We are delighted to assist [the] Sundance Institute in its mission of finding new voices in independent filmmaking from around the world.”

The winners of the 2012 Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award are: Etienne Kallos (Vrystaat/Free State) from South Africa, Ariel Kleiman (Partisan) from Australia, Dominga Sotomayor (Tarde Para Morir Joven/Late to Die Young) from Chile and Shonali Bose (Margarita. With a Straw) from India.

The partnership of the Mahindra Group and the Sundance Institute will also result in the establishment of India’s Mumbai Mantra | Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab, which will provide eight screenwriters from India with the opportunity to develop their works under the guidance of accomplished screenwriters from around the globe.

For more information on the Sundance Institute and other grants it presents, visit www.sundance.org.