Shortlist Gladiators on Wheels Personal Work: New Generation Award

PRODUCTION COMPANYSDFILMS

DIRECTOR(S) SOUVID DATTA

BUSINESS REGION 37040

SHORT SYNOPSIS IN REMOTE RURAL FESTIVALS ALL AROUND INDIA THE 'WELL OF DEATH' HAS BEEN A LONG-NOTORIOUS ATTRACTION - WHERE FOR £0.50P PER TICKET, YOU CAN SEE STUNT DRIVERS ROCKET IN CIRCLES ACROSS 60FT WALLS, THROWING CAUTION TO THE WIND AND DEFYING GRAVITY.

"GLADIATORS ON WHEELS" IS AN EXPERIMENTAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT MADE OVER A ONE DAY SHOOT IN WEST BENGAL'S POUSH MELA, WHERE AS A I CHILD GREW UP IN AWE OF THESE RIDERS. RETURNING TO VISIT THEM, I DISCOVERED THEIR STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME. INTERVIEWS WERE EDITED AND ADAPTED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE RIDERS AND VOICED BY LOCAL ACTORS.

RUNTIME 05:50

RELEASE DATE 2019-06-01

PRODUCER(S) SDFILMS

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY SOUVID DATTA

EDITOR SOUVID DATTA

MUSIC COMPOSER SOUMIK DATTA

SCRIPT SOUVID DATTA

NOTES FOR JUDGING THIS WAS A PASSION PROJECT FILMED IN ONE DAY, OFF THE BACK OF AN EDITORIAL ASSIGNMENT IN INDIA. I GREW UP ATTENDING THESE DUSTY, RURAL CIRCUS EVENTS IN AWE OF STUNT PERFORMERS WHO DAZZLED THE CROWDS WITH THEIR DARING FEATS. RETURNING BY CHANCE TO THIS CHILDHOOD MEMORY GAVE ME A PROMPT TO GET TO KNOW MY HEROES' LIVES BEHIND THE ACT. AND THROUGH THEIR GENEROSITY AND TRUST, I SPENT A DAY SHOOTING, INTERVIEWING AND LEARNING ABOUT THEIR LIVES - BALANCING BRAVERY AND BRAVADO, IMPULSE AND SKILL, AND ULTIMATELY, LIFE AND DEATH.

STATEMENT 37091