DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Starting from a passion for animation and storytelling, I have created documentary films where I handled filming, sound recording, and editing. In 2018, I was commissioned by Public Service Broadcasting Trust (New Delhi) to film, direct and edit "The Journey of the Tales of the Tribes" which was broadcast nationwide in India on Doordarshan.
My documentaries have evolved from documenting the tribal storytelling and cultures that I was studying, and most recently the short films have come out of a project to document wooden architecture in Wancho villages in Arunachal Pradesh.
My films have been screened at various film festivals, including the Edinburgh Festival of Indian Films and Documentaries (2017), Chitrakatha International Student Animation Festival at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (2017), Cultural Animation Film Festival at Honolulu Museum (2018) and Nila International Folklore Film Festival in India (2021)
Below you can see some of my short films. I also enjoy organising and participating in workshops on documentary film.
The Stories of our Ancestors: Animism and Animation in a more than Human World - a talk in Venice. This is a talk by Tara Douglas as part of the recent conference, "Animal Studies and Ecocriticism in India" hosted by Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. In the talk, I bring together some tribal stories from India, as well as the new location, Venice.
A talk by Dr Meera Dass at the workshop in December 2024 for the project "Documentation of traditional architecture in the Wancho villages in Arunachal Pradesh" by Adivasi Arts Trust.
A short film about a research project in Arunachal Pradesh from 2023-24.
A conversation between grandfather and grandson about tradition and change.
Phowang from Kamhua Noknu has developed a passion for 3D animation. He has modelled the Paa which stands beside his home in the village.
House building in a remote corner of India.
The construction of the "Hailay", the bamboo platform, at the Wancho Centre for Art Culture and Knowledge, in a remote corner of Arunachal Pradesh.
Teaching English in Kamhua Noknu
A personal journey into the world of stories and animation in some tribal communities in India to find out more from the storytellers.
The Kamdong ritual was done at the completion of the construction of a traditional Wancho house.
A meeting was held with the elders of Chinja morung to discuss a project to document the endangered wooden architecture .
Stefano Beggiora relects on the Kondh creation story.
A story of family life and the gender roles in the village.
A conversation about art, anthropology and activism at the Velvet Chapel.
A documentary film about a workshop that was held at North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong, Meghalaya.
A film about Wancho storytelling and animation.
The making of the Abotani film in the Tales of the Tribes collection, it was filmed during a workshop in Delhi, in 2014.
Researching and developing Dr Verrier Elwin as the Storyteller of the "Tales of the Tribes" collection of short animated films.
Life in the time of covid. I am under lockdown in North India, the Wancho people live a healthy and resilient life.