Sunanda Bhat (IN)

Sunanda Bhat’s interest in documentaries is to represent people living on the margins of a fascinatingly intricate and stratified Indian society. Unraveling these layers reveal glimpses of lives that are often far more interesting than fiction. She works at finding new and interesting ways of storytelling; constantly exploring and expanding her natural and cultural landscape.

“Have You Seen The Arana?” is her first feature length documentary. She has spent 6 years on the film, looking for ways to capture and represent the complexity of the people and place. The film won the John Abraham National Award for Best Documentary, the Golden Conch for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festivals and an Honorable Mention at the International Film Festival for Environment, Health and Culture, Jakarta, 2013. The film has travelled to film festivals all over the world.

Among her work 'Let's Make It Right' about rural sanitation won the 'Gold Drop' award at the International Water and Film Events, 2012 at Marseilles in France. Her documentary “Bol Ayesha Bol” (Speak Ayesha Speak) on the empowerment of bonded agricultural women workers, was screened at IDFA in 1998.

Songline Films founded by Sunanda Bhat in Bangalore, India produces and directs short films and documentaries.