Aspiring filmmakers to learn the craft of social justice documentary at Bir

A six-day documentary filmmaking workshop, focusing on social justice narratives, is set to take place from October 25-30, 2024, at the Deer Park Institute in Bir, Himachal Pradesh. Led by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Hossein Martin Fazeli, the workshop aims to provide participants with the tools to tell stories that reflect social realities and drive impact.

The workshop is divided into two modules. The first, a two-day film appreciation session, will explore theoretical elements of social-justice filmmaking, including case studies of films like No Fire Zone, Blackfish, and Waltz with Bashir. Fazeli will also share insights from his award-winning documentary The Tale of Two Nazanins.

The second module, a four-day developmental workshop, will allow participants to work on their own social justice film projects under Fazeli’s guidance. He will cover all stages of documentary filmmaking, from story identification to post-production. The module also includes the pre-screening of Fazeli’s upcoming project Phoolan and discussions on cross-cultural filmmaking.

“Understanding how the story is the backbone of a good documentary film, what makes a good doc, how to find the right story, and how to tell a compelling version of it” will be key components, according to the program.

Gopala Krishna, founder of the Himalayan Film School and the Mussoorie International Film Festival, will assist Fazeli during the workshop. Krishna brings years of filmmaking experience in the Bombay and Hyderabad industries, as well as expertise in teaching aspiring filmmakers in the Western Himalayas.

Besides, the regular schedule of the workshop, evening sessions will feature film screenings and discussions.

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Nibedita Saha

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