An environmental documentary “Let the Mother Bird Go” produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao of Hyderabad has been selected for three international film festivals. 

The documentary has been selected for the Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival organised by Lift-Off Global Network, Uk, Ecovision Global Film Festival, Sydney and Indian International Film Festival, Kolkata.

In the IIFF, the documentary was declared winner, in the results which were announced on April 23. In the Ecovision Global Film Festival, Sydney, it has been placed in the finalist category.

The Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival begins on April 26.

“The short documentary emphasizes the need to preserve ecology,” explained filmmaker Chilkuri Sushil Rao. The basis of the environmental films is the Bible verse: “If you come across a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a road or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, don’t take the mother with the young. You may take the babies but let the mother bird go so that you will live a good and long time.” This is a passage that appears in Deuteronomy 22:6-7 in the Old Testament of The Holy Bible. 

Chilkuri Vasanth Rao says: “Let the mother bird go” is the commandment of God.

The documentary captures the interest of people in the birds at the Oxygen Park of Osmania University in Hyderabad, Telangana and celebrates the migratory birds at the Keoladeo National Park, more popular as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan in India which Prof Rev Dr Chilkuri Vasanth Rao visited. 

Prof Vasanth Rao heads the United Theological College, in Bengaluru.. Vasanth Rao who holds a Ph D from Germany, spreads the word that it is important to preserve flora and fauna with particular emphasis on birds. He is also an accomplished and well-known author having written books on ecology. 

Chilkuri Sushil Rao has won both national and international recognition for some of his short documentaries in the last three years, including the World Film Festival in Cannes and 8th India World Film Festival organised by MiniBoxOffice in Hyderabad. 

Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s “Hero of the sea’ documentary wins award at 8th Indian World Film Festival in Hyderabad

A documentary titled “Hero Of The Sea” produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao of Hyderabad has won an award at the 8th Indian World Film Festival-2024 held in Hyderabad on March 10. 

The documentary focuses on the Indian Navy’s firm action against pirates who in recent times have tried to attack ships. The documentary showcases the willpower of five Indians who were taken captive by pirates in Nigeria in 2019, to stay strong and how they survived the ordeal. They were let free only after 70 days with the intervention of the authorities.

More than 200 entries were received for the film festival organised by Noida-based Mumbai Box Office. Out of these 83 were officially selected. From these, the winners were picked by an international jury in various categories including feature films, feature documentaries, short documentaries, animation, documentaries and music videos. 

“The Hero Of The Sea” was picked by the jury for an ‘honourable mention award’.

The winners in all categories were presented mementos and certificates were presented  by D C Singh, chief advisor and Rambhul Singh, film director and founder of Mini Box Office.

This is the eighth year in which the festival was organised in Hyderabad. Throughout the year, film festivals are organised in eight big festivals in different cities in the country with some of them having been organised for the 12th year in succession. 

At the awards ceremony, Sushil Rao was also presented with an award that he had won at the 12th Mumbai International Film Festival organsied in December 2023 for  documentary “Oscar Challagariga” which got a Special Festival Mention in the festival. A ‘Certificate of Excellence’ was also presented to Sushil Rao for his short documentary entry “Human Feelings in Robot Wars’ which got selected in the 11th Noida International Film Festival-24 held in January. 

Daniel Mendoza Leal of Colombia‘ received an award for his Spanish film ‘Matarife La Pelicula’. Emi Ogawa of Japan received two awards that  ‘Samurai Tiger’ made by Miyaobi Pictures won at the 11th Noida International Film Festival-24.  

News report in hindudayashankar

Promo on Youtube: Miniboxoffice

About the documentaries on Youtube: myminiboxoffice

News report in Telangana Today

News report in Newstap

The screening

Hans India newspaper

A report on Metro TV

A report in Telangana Today newspaper in its print edition dated March 12, 2024

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News report in Namaste Telangana

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Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s “Oscar Challagariga” submitted to Festival De Cannes for 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024 in Short Films Official selection 

Festival De Cannes has confirmed submission of "Oscar Challagariga" in the Short Films Official Selection registration. The film is produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao. The 77th Cannes Film Festival Festival de Cannes will take place from May 14 – 25 2024. At Cannes, short films feature in the Competition, at the end of which the Short Films Jury awards a Palme d’Or, and in the Short Film Corner, a platform dedicated to the art of shorts amidst the Marché du Film. These two entities operate in symbiosis to serve up an overarching snapshot of the international short film scene and foster ties between creative output and industry. From among the submissions for the Short Films, the selections will be done in March. "Oscar Challagariga" is about how Challagariga village in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in Telangana celebrated the Oscar win of lyricist Kanukuntla Subhash Chandrabose. In the Oscar awards presented by the The Academy in March 2023, Chandrabose won the Oscar for Best Original song along with music director M M Keeravani for the song "Naatu Naatu" from the film "RRR" directed by S S Rajamouli.

Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s documentary “The Great Indian Tamarind Tree” to be screened at 7th International Folklore Film Festival, Kerala on Jan 10

“The Great Indian Tamarind Tree”, an English documentary produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao of Hyderabad, will be screened on January 10, 2024 at the 7th International Folklore Film Festival@India-Kerala-Thrissur.

The documentary will be screened at the C Achutha Menon Government College, Thirssur, during the 1.30 pm to 4 pm schedule of screenings.

The documentary is about how a large number of people climbed on to the tamarind tree at Afzalgunj and could save their lives during the 1908 floods in Hyderabad. 

In the huge floods, hundreds of people lost their lives when the continuous downpour resulted in the Musi river being in spate.

Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s documentary was selected from among the 2000 entries that were received from 70 countries for the prestigious film festival. 

The documentary figures among the 200 selected films and documentaries being screened at multiple locations. The festival began on January 5 and ends on January 10.

During the festival, films from Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, United States, Turkey, Indian, Iran, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Georgia, Sweden, Macedonia, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Poland, Ghana, Tunisia, Sudan, Kenya, Canada, Czech Republic, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Oman, Argentina, Serbia, Indonesia, Chile, Iraq, Tajikistan, Israel, Australia, France, UK, the Netherlands, Jordan, Taiwan, Algeria, Angola, Syrian Arab Republic, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Macau, Mexico, Croatia, Lithuania, Portugal, Hungary, Colombia, Austria, and Estonia are being screened.  

“It is personally satisfying for me that the documentary is being screened at the 7th International Folklore Film Festival in Thrissur. The documentary has a strong message to convey. It shows how people  irrespective of their backgrounds, culture and religion, helped one another to survive the flood by climbing on to the tree,” the documentary filmmaker said. 

Festival director V S Seetha said in the country focus section of the festival, there are films from France, Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, China, Morocco, Phillipines, Italy and Egypt.

“The films mirror the cultural diversity of different countries,” Seetha said. 

PWD Resthouse complex, Thirssur, Centre for Media Studies, St Thomas College, Government Fine Arts College, Thrissur, Sri C Achutha Menon Government College, Thrissur, and St Mary’s College, Thrissur.

Six films of women directors from Iran are also being screened at the festival.  

Indian documentary “Oscar Challagariga” by Chilkuri Sushil Rao on Oscar winner Telugu lyricist Subhash Chandrabose wins Best Documentary Short  at Cannes World Film Festival, France

A Telugu documentary titled “Oscar Challagariga” on Oscar winner lyricist Kanukuntla Subhash Chandrabose has been declared winner in the Cannes World Film Festival, Cannes, French Riviera, France. 

The results in various categories were announced on December 27. “Oscar Challagariga” was adjudged Best Documentary Short.

The documentary from India, emerged winner from among the nominees, including two from the United States.

“I am elated to know that the documentary “Oscar Challagariga” about me winning an Oscar and how my village Challagariga celebrated has received applause and attention,” lyricist Chandrabose said, reacting to the announcement of the award.

“Oscar Challagariga” is produced and directed by Chilkuri Sushil Rao, documentary filmmaker from Hyderabad, Telangana. The documentary captures the celebrations in Challagariga village in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district from where lyricist Kanukuntla Subhash Chandrabose hails from.

Lyricist Chandrabose won the Oscar award for the Best Original Song in the Oscar awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood, Los Angeles, US on March 12, 2023 this year. Chandrabose and music director M M Keeravani were presented with the award for the song ‘Naatu Naatu” from the film ‘RRR’ directed by S S Rajamouli.

When Chandrabose went to his village on April 2, 2023 with the Oscar award, the entire village erupted in joy. Family, friends, relatives and well-wishers danced in the celebrations. Chandrabose recalled his journey from the village to the Oscar stage. 

“It is a matter of great joy that “Oscar Challagariga” has won the Best Documentary Short in the Cannes World Film Festival. The fact that a celebration in a small village in India has garnered attention in the world is a wonderful thing. The award is a tribute not just to Chandrabose but his village Challagariga,” Chilkuri Sushil Rao said.