She does not relate to the big heroes for they seem to tower above humanity. But there is something about small stories and everyday heroes who find beauty, courage and kindness in their circumstances that have always magnetised her.
“I relate to the ordinary person for they are gray characters full of dichotomies. Their untold narratives make a huge difference to our world.” Therefore, for documentary filmmaker Miriam Chandy Menacherry, a film is like embarking on an adventure to discover the stories that are taken for granted. Be it the story of the rat killers who work as the commercial capital of India sleeps (‘The Rat Race’), the stuntmen in the Hindi film industry (‘Stuntmen of Bollywood’) or children who choose music over violence in an area known for gang warfare in the underbelly of Pakistani’s Lyari (‘Lyari Notes’).
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The Rat Race - Documentary on rat killers wins award at Cannes
It’s still a half completed, in production documentary on the lives of Mumbai’s pied pipers — the rat killers. But for Miriam Chandy Menacherry, the story she wants to narrate has worked out to be the best. Menacherry’s documentary, The Rat Race, has won the prestigious MIPDoc co-production challenge at Cannes.
DNA: Rat killers wins award at cannes >>CANNES 2010
‘The Rat Race’, a documentary on the never say die culture of the Indian financial capital Mumbai, is among the documentaries accepted for the prestigious Co-Production challenge at Cannes 2010 for documentary films. The Mumbai-based production house, Filament Pictures has been selected to pitch their documentary at the event. Proposals are accepted from around the world and only six have been selected and given all of 7 minutes to present their films to a jury consisting of some of the biggest names in the documentary world.Filament Pictures founding director Miriam Chandy Menacherry said “it is an unbelievable opportunity to showcase the work we have been doing over 8 months to the biggest broadcasters worldwide. "We really are a very small production house that does one or two films a year and we will be pitching against very big productions with deep pockets," says Miriam who has been self funding this documentary.
www.aabc.co.in: Cannes 2010 >>Screenindia Rat Race, a documentary on rat killers selected for Cannes
Miriam Chandy Menacherry’s documentary Rat Race on Mumbai-based rat killers, is among the six films selected for the Cannes Co-Production challenge this year. Miriam, who has earlier directed documentaries for Nat Geo and BBC World Wide, will be flying to Cannes on April 9 to pitch her trailer to the jury and broadcasters from across the world. 120 commissioning editors from major broadcast networks will be watching the seven-minute film that Miriam has produced and directed under her banner Filament Pictures.
www.screenindia.com: Documentary on rat killers selected for cannes >>Photo in the News: Robot Jockeys Race Camels in Qatar
Technology met tradition this week, when a camel race in Doha, Qatar for the first time featured robots at the reins. On July 13, workers fixed robotic jockeys on the backs of seven camels and raced the machine-mounted animals around a track. Operators controlled the jockeys remotely, signaling them to pull their reins and prod the camels with whips.
news.nationalgeographic.com: Robot Jockey >>Showreal Asia 4: Robot Jockey
A film that begins with the excitement of the 2005 winter camel races as the first robot jockeys pound the race tracks…Follow the joys, hopes and disappointments of all the stake holders in this unique project where robotics takes root in an ancient sport. As the curtain rises on robotics in this popular sport, the film also documents the hopes and dilemmas of child jockeys who leave behind the camel races to return to their homelands.
www.ngcasia.com: Robot Jockey >>Mariam Chandy Menacherry's Mee Koli providing more than a fleeting glimpse of Mumbai's original inhabitants, the Koli fisherfolk, who are entrenched amidst a sea of change.
www.psbt.org: Mee Koli >>A film on the war waged by an indigenous community, the Koli fisher folk to preserve the delicate web of marine life that envelopes India’s commercial capital – Mumbai. Director: Miriam Chandy Menacherry
www.indiahabitat.org: Mee Koli >>The International Film Festival, Voice From The Waters, organised recently by Water Journeys, Bangalore Film Society and the Alliance Francaise de Bangalore (AFB), presented a bouquet of short films, documentaries and feature films. The festival sought to bring in to sharp focus how even a natural and life-providing substance like water often becomes a tool for systematic exploitation, abuse and even commodification, when man tries to fulfil his greed instead of need. Mariam Chandy Menacherry's Mee Koli providing more than a fleeting glimpse of Mumbai's original inhabitants, the Koli fisherfolk, who are entrenched amidst a sea of change.
www.hindu.com: Mee Koli >>UK ENVIRONMENT FILM FELLOWSHIP WINNERS FOR 2007 ANNOUNCED
The British High Commissioner to India, Richard Stagg CMG, has announced the winners of the UK Environment Film Fellowships for 2007.We received over 50 proposals covering a wide range of interesting subjects including sustainable buildings, bio-diesel, solar powered LED lights, geo-thermal energy. We are delighted with the response from these young filmmakers."
Miriam Chandy Menacherry**** - A Light Burns In The Village***
The film captures the efforts of villagers to generate electricity through bio diesel in a remote region of rural India.
www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk: A Light Burns >>THE OPEN FRAME 2003 Showcase
The Open Frame 2003 was organized by UNESCO and the Pubic Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) of India, in partnership with the Prasar Bharti in New Delhi from August 21-27, 2003.
Circles in the Sand, Miriam Chandy Menacherry, 12’, on the ferris wheel operators of the Juhu Beach and their search for empowerment through an activist theatre movement.
portal.unesco.org: Circle in the sand >>