Two Indian students have been honoured with the prestigious Student Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences received 2,683 entries from 738 colleges and universities worldwide this year from which only 15 students were voted winners of the 51st Student Academy Awards competition.
Rishabh Raj Jain, an Indian student who recently graduated from New York University, won the student Oscar in the documentary category for his film titled “A Dream Called Khushi” (Happiness). The highly captivating 2024 documentary short film, directed by Mr Jain, tells the story of a Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh who strives for her education and dreams of studying in Canada.
Watch the trailer for Rishabh Jain’s award-winning documentary here: https://vimeo.com/1002131283
“It is very surreal and it’s all still sinking in. It takes a village to make a film and all this wouldn’t be possible without the wonderful team that worked on this. It is a collective win and we are happy to showcase stories from South Asia on one of the biggest platforms in the world,” Mr Jain told NDTV after receiving the prestigious award.
“This recognition by one of the most respected juries in the world is really a testament to the impactfulness of stories of forced migration and denial of rights, especially for the Rohingya but also for so many communities that face conflict in the world today,” he added.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 2024 Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, or Documentary Short Film category, says the academy. Previous Student Oscar winners received 67 nominations and won or shared 15 Oscars.
Akshit Kumar from the National Institute of Design, India also won an award in the Alternative/Experimental film category at Student Oscars for his experimental animated travelogue titled “bonVoyage pour monVoyage” (Best wishes for my trip).
The Student Academy Awards are Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and are popularly known as the Student Oscars. Each year, college and university film students from all over the world compete for awards and cash grants, with films being judged in the following categories: Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative, and Alternative/Experimental.
Gold, silver, and bronze placements in the four award categories will be announced at the ceremony. In partnership with the BFI London Film Festival, Student Academy Award winners will have access to panels and networking opportunities. In addition, winners will have exclusive access to Academy members to support their career advancement, said the academy.