Independent filmmaker from Shimla, Siddhartha Chauhan has once again made the state proud by winning the ‘Best Director’ award in South East Asia short Film category, at the 9th Annual World Music and Independent Film Festival in Washington DC, United States of America (USA).
The film festival was held in Washington DC, USA from 29 January to 4 February during which his name has figured amongst the winners for the 2018, for his short film ‘Pashi’ which has been shot in the villages of Khalawan and Dhanoti in Rohru, Shimla district.
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The film, ‘Pashi’ was nominated in five categories Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Short Film. Globe-trotting and having won global acclaim the film has been screened at 10 International Film Festivals and has won 6 International Honours so far.
The film was also recently awarded with four honours at the South Films and Arts Academy Festival in Chile, South America that includes Best Short Film, Audience Choice Award (2nd position), Honorable mention for Best Director (Siddharth), Honorable Mention for Best Actor (Chetan Kanwar).
An elated Siddharth Chauhan said, “The amazing response the film is getting internationally is unbelievable and overwhelming. The day it was premiered at the Oscar Qualifying ‘Rohode Island Film Festival’, I knew that my team had been successful in creating some magic as it was the only Indian Film which had made it to the festival. I dedicate this award to my amazing team and my actors who had worked hard for the film.”
The lead actors in the film include Chatan Kanwar, John Negi, Kamayani Bisht and Savitri Devi Sunta along with supporting actors Dewansh Kanwar, Aditi Sunta and Dev Ranta. The film is set in a traditional Himachali village and an unusual love story that unfolds as a visitor arrives and meets his neighbour after years, besides simultaneously a young boy learns the technique of trapping birds from his wicked grandmother and begins to practice it.
