Mumbai studio's fellowship aims at making the 16mm celluloid more accessible

A studio’s fellowship is inviting filmmakers to return to the tactile world of celluloid with a residency on 16mm cinema

As the metaverse threatens to invade our physical universes, the world of cinema continues to be split between nostalgia for celluloid and the practical reality of digital filmmaking. For those yearning for the feel of celluloid, Harkat Studio’s Cinema Karigar fellowship might come as a respite. The Mumbai-based studio is offering a month-long fellowship to artistes interested in creating with the tactical medium of celluloid. 

The fellowship is open to filmmakers and non-filmmakers, Simran Ankolkar, curator and artist, tells us, adding, “The idea is to make the medium more accessible.” The residency will involve workshops on utilising celluloid to create images, films and art. Ankolkar elaborates, “The first week will cover the basics in terms of processes. The workshop is to help them implement the skills and experiment on the medium.” The residency, she shares, allows more time and is aimed towards mentoring filmmakers and supporting more projects using the medium.  

Simran Ankolkar

This is the second year of the residency that was launched last year in collaboration with the Gujral Foundation, she revealed. The new residency projects will revolve around the theme ‘At the stroke of midnight hour’ — a take on 75 years of India’s freedom. “The statement can be interpreted any way,” Ankolkar adds. Interested applicants should remember that the deadline to submit their project proposals is July 22. It is a rare opportunity, Ankolkar believes, “The tangibility of celluloid filmmaking means a great deal of craftsmanship  — hence, the term karigar.”  

At Harkat Studios, Bungalow 17, JP Road, Andheri.  
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