Dhvani Desai
Dhvani Desai is an Indian animation filmmaker, curator and poet. She is best known for her artistic animated films Manpasand (the Perfect Match) and Chakravyuh (The Vicious Circle).
Dhvani Desai | |
---|---|
Born | Mumbai |
Nationality | Indian |
Alma mater | Elphinstone College SVKM's NMIMS Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies Xavier Institute of Communication |
Known for | Animation |
Early life
Desai was born in an illustrious family of writers, poets & filmmakers in Mumbai. Her father, Dr Sudhir Desai, is a poet, thinker, and scholar. Her mother, Tarini Desai, is a modern short story writer in Gujarati. Her elder sister, Sanskritirani Desai, is also a Gujarati poet and brother Sanskar a senior Documentary Filmmaker [1]
Career
Desai holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from Elphinstone College, Mumbai, and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from the SVKM's NMIMS, Mumbai. Later she earned a post-graduate diploma in Computer Management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.[2]
Desai entered the field of animation in 1991.[1] She worked as a trainee at a computer animation studio, where she learned 2D animation. After this, she joined Xavier's Institute of Communication in Mumbai for formal training in 3D animation, before working in two animation studios.[2] Desai then joined the Computer Graphiti (at the time, a pioneer studio in the field of Indian animation) where she worked on numerous ads under guidance of Padmashri Ram Mohan combining 2D animation with live action & 3D, before establishing her own animation studio,[2] Metamorphosis, in Mumbai, which has produced animations and special effects for advertising films.[1]
The Mahatma Gandhi Foundation produced and Desai co-directed with her elder brother, Sanskar, a short animation film, The Mahatma, and other five films which depicted the principles of Gandhiji. The films were selected at the Tehran International Animation Festival in 2001 and at the Mumbai International Film Festival.[1]
The Children's Film Society of India produced and Desai directed an 11-minute long[3] animated film, Manpasand (The Perfect Match).[1] It was officially selected in various festivals in Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey, Canada,Taiwan Kenya etc [1][4] and won several international Awards.[1][5] The Panchatantra-based tale used the Vaishnavite Sanjhi art style, a form of stencil art,[6] and took over two years to make, with 42 artists working on it.[1][7]
Manpasand was nominated at the International Animation Film Festival in Hollywood and selected at several other international film festivals.[1] The film was screened at Hyderabad's The Golden Elephant (the 15th International Children's Film Festival) in November 2007[1][8] and was the inaugural film at the Asian Women's Film Festival in New Delhi in 2008.[9][10]
Desai has also worked on cartoon and animated titles produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India.[7]
Chakravyuh (The Vicious Circle), her film first time on a legal act promoting awareness around India's Right to Information Act (RTI), was produced by the Films Division and released on the 8th Anniversary of the RTI Act in an event organised by the Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT), the Indian Merchants' Chamber's ( IMC ) Anti Corruption Cell, and Bombay Chartered Accountants Society. This film has won several awards and nomination worldwide [11][12]
Awards
- Gold Remi Award, 41st World Fest Houston, U.S.A. 2008 (for Manpasand — The Perfect Match)[13][14]
- Bronze World Medal 2008 New York Film Festival[15][16][17]
- Silver Award (Best Short Fiction of a Director), Indian Documentary Producer's Association, 2007[18][19]
- Prix Danube Festival award, Slovakia 2008 [20]
- Award for Best Practices in RTI, DOPT, Government of India and Yashada, 2014 [21]
- Award from Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Govt of India, 2015
- Most Popular Film Award, Mumbai International Film Festival, 2014[22]
Honours and achievements
- Jury at 66th National Film Awards 2019 in the Non-Feature Category [23]
- Jury at Bangalore International Film Festival 2020 BIFFES [24]
- Jury at Pune International Film Festival PIFF 2016 in the Animation Category [25]
- Grand Jury at New York Festivals 2014 [26]
She has served as Jury in several international film festivals in India and abroad.
References
- Kumar, Mala (16 March 2008). "Colours that still communicate". The Hindu. Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: The Hindu Group. Archived from the original on 20 March 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- Birnur, Esha (7 July 2007). "Dhvani Desai Odyysey of an artist: From Ad Films to Short Films". Animationxpress.com. IndianTelevision.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- Nath, Dipanita (10 March 2008). "To Brajbhoomi for animation". Screen India. Indian Express Group. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- Nath, Dipanita (13 March 2008). "Drawing Attention". The Indian Express. Indian Express Group. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Animator MIFFed at being ignored". The Times of India. The Times Group. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Dhvani Desai takes folk art to Hollywood". Televisionpoint.com. Bhash Media. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- Pradesh, Andhra (18 November 2007). "When art merges with animation". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "The 15th International Children's Film Festival". fullhyderabad.com. LRR Technologies (Hyderabad), Pvt Ltd. 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Asian film festival celebrates women's vision of the world". UNESCO. 27 March 2008. Archived from the original on 5 June 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Through the lens". The Indian Express. Indian Express Group. 2 March 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Indian animation film on RTI In Sweden?s I.N.S.A.N.E Animation Film Fest (sic)". Indian Television. 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- "IMC Journal Volume 107/Issue 3 November-December 2013" (PDF). Imcnet.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- "REMI Winners List 2008". WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. September 2008. Archived from the original (XLS) on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- "CFSI film 'Manpasand' bags award at Houston Festival". Press Information Bureau. Government of India. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "New York Festivals 2008 Film & Video Awards Winners Booklet" (PDF). New York, US: New York Festivals. 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Annual Report for the Year 2007-2008". Children's Film Society of India. 2008. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- "Cut-out a soulmate". India Info. DB Corp Ltd. 20 March 2008. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "IDPA Awards for Excellence 2007". Indian Documentary Producer's Association. 2007. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- "Colours of Konkan bags three awards at IDPA". IndianTelevision.com. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- "Animation films steal Mumbai International Film Festival show this year". DNA. 5 February 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- Patten, Fred (30 March 2014). "Indian Animation – Weekly Update (#3)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- Pawar, Yogesh (10 February 2014). "Mumbai International Film Festival 2014 doffs hat to human spirit with awards at closure". DNA. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- "66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced". Jury. pib.gov.in/. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "BIFFES JURY 2020" (PDF). biffes.org. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "PIFF JURY 2016". piffindia.com. piffindia. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "Eight Indians on NYF International Television & Film Awards 2014 Grand Jury". bestmediainfo.com. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
Further reading
- Kunchev, Pencho; Nikolova, Tsvetomira (2008). "The Indian animation - Conversation with the director Dhvani Desai". Kino Magazine. Bulgaria (3). Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- Lent, John A (1 May 2009). "Animation in South Asia". Studies in South Asian Film & Media. 1 (1): 101–117. doi:10.1386/safm.1.1.101_1.
External links
- "Manpasand (Perfect Match): Synopsis". Children's Film Society, India. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.