Four tapped for first-ever awards

     (PNAN-UT) – One of the largest companies in India, the Mahindra Group, which is known throughout the world for its commitment to excellence and to social responsibility, and one of the world’s leading cultural organizations, the Sundance Institute have recognized four upcoming independent filmmakers from around the world in the first-ever Sundance Institute|Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award. They are:

      A graduate of the Romanian National Film School, Bogdan Mustata directed the short film, “A Good Day For a Swim,” which won the Golden Bear for the best short film at the 2008 Berlinale. The film screened at dozens of festivals and won multiple awards at the 2008 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. Mustata has lived in Vietnam and Dubai, where he wrote and directed for television.  His winning feature directorial debut, “Wolf” is a surreal tale about a 16 year-old boy’s dearest wish that is realized when his absent father is quite literally reborn and joins the family once again, with complicated consequences.

      Ernesto Contreras first feature film, “Párpados Azules” (Blue Eyelids) was nominated for the Camera d’Orat the 60th Cannes Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It went on to receive the Ariel Award for Best First Work by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. His recent feature, a documentary on the 20 years of Mexico’s most important rock band, “Seguir siendo: Café Tacvba” (Being: Café Tacvba), had its international premier in 2010 during the Guadalajara International Film Festival, and opened in theatres nationwide in November. His award goes for his “I Dream in Another Language,” was written by Carlos Contreras (Mexico) and is about a rare indigenous language already on the verge of extinction, facing its final threat when its last two speakers, very old friends, have a fight and refuse to speak to one another.

      Seng Tat Liew emerged with a unique comedic voice soon after he graduated from the Multimedia University, where he majored in 3D animation. His 2007 debut feature, “Flower in the Pocket” took awards and prizes at Busan, Rotterdam, Fribourg, Pesaro and other international film festivals. His award goes to “In What City Does It Live” (Malaysia) covers the unexpected presence of an African immigrant hiding in a small Malaysian village arouses the superstitions of the local residents, calling into question whether home is defined by the place you live or by the people who surround you.

     Tel Aviv resident, Talya Lavie works as a writer and director for various television dramas. She graduated from the Sam Spiegel Film School in Jerusalem and prior, she studied animation at the Bezalel Art Academy. Her short film, “Sliding Flora,” was screened at MoMA, as well as at over 40 film festivals worldwide. In addition, her thesis film, “The Substitute” received numerous international awards. Her winning “Zero Motivation” (Israel) is described as sometimes comic, but takes an often dramatic look at the power struggles of three female clerks, over one year in an administrative office, at a remote army base in the Israeli desert.

     See www.sundance.org and www.mahindra.com for more information.