Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Director Adam J Graves’ Hindi short film Anuja lost the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards on Monday. In the category, the film competed against A Lien (English), I’m Not a Robot (Dutch), The Last Ranger (English and Xhosa) and The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Croatian). The award went to the Dutch film, I’m Not a Robot. Anuja was one of the only two films with Indian ties nominated this year, the other being Indian filmmaker Smriti Mundhra’s documentary I Am Ready, Warden, which competed for the Best Documentary Short Film award. This documentary too didn’t make the cut as No Other Land won in this category.
The short film entered the Oscar race after receiving acclaim at prestigious festivals such as the HollyShorts Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, and Montclair Film Festival. Directed by American philosopher-turned-filmmaker Graves, known for Cycle Vérité (2021), Anuja stars Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag. Set in India, the film tells the poignant story of two sisters navigating a world that seeks to exploit and exclude them while they struggle to find joy and opportunity.
Express Opinion | Indian story at the Oscars: Does ‘Anuja’ reinforce Western cliches about poverty in developing nations?
“Despite facing difficult circumstances, the girls I met were resilient, gifted, and inspiring. It was impossible not to be moved by their ability to find and to create joy amidst harsh realities. I felt it was important to make a film that was true to their experiences, but was also something they would want to watch and discuss themselves—one that drew from reality, but without focusing excessively on the doom-and-gloom. I wanted to capture that wondrous combination of magic and emotion, of innocence and mischief, which is part of childhood itself—these are kids after all, not statistics. Though every film is collaborative, this one was much more so than most,” Graves shared on the film’s official website.
Interestingly, the short film boasts a stellar lineup of backers, including two-time Academy Award winner Guneet Monga and actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Mindy Kaling. Commenting on Anuja’s Oscar nod, Priyanka had shared, “Anuja being nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film category is such an incredible moment. This film is a beautiful reminder of the power of storytelling—how it can shine a light on love, family, and resilience in the most authentic way. I’m so proud of Adam J Graves for his vision and deeply moved by the brilliant performances of Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag, who have poured their hearts into bringing these characters to life.”
Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
