Movies
Civic Studios announces world premiere of animation feature ‘Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust’ at Rotterdam Film Festival in 2024
Mumbai: Civic Studios, a global media company creating entertainment that drives social impact, proudly announces the world premiere of Indo-French-German production ‘Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust’ at the 2024 edition of the Rotterdam Film Festival in its Bright Future section, aimed at up-and-coming filmmakers with innovative, original, and daring work. This marks the feature debut of the award-winning Indian filmmaker Ishan Shukla, whose 2016 animated short “Schirkoa” played at more than 120 international film festivals and won 33 awards, including Best Animated Short award at LA Shorts Fest.
‘Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust’ tells the story of a dystopian world where people are made to wear paper bags over their heads to dissolve differences, and an anonymous citizen sparks an accidental revolution.
The film features a powerful, diverse voice cast, including Golshifteh Farahani, Asia Argento, SoKo, King Khan, Denzil Smith, John Sutton, and introducing Tibu Fortes and Shahbaz Sarwar. The guest voices will also include iconic Indian talents like Karan Johar, Shekhar Kapur, Anurag Kashyap, and Piyush Mishra. The film’s eclectic, immersive soundtrack is composed by the acclaimed Sneha Khanwalkar, who has created iconic scores for films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye.
On the announcement of its Rotterdam world premiere, Civic Studios founder Anushka Shah, expressed, “With ‘Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust,’ we knew the film and Ishan’s vision will push the boundaries of animation and storytelling, celebrating a harmonious blend of diverse cultures, ideas and creative heft. It is thrilling to receive that recognition and premiere on a prestigious stage like Rotterdam.”
This film is a co-production between Red Cigarette Media (Ishan Shukla’s Vadodara-based animation studio), Dissidenz Films (Paris-based production company), and Rapid Eye Movies (German production and distribution company), in association with Civic Studios (Mumbai and London-based production studio focused on impact storytelling) and French Sofica Cofinova 18. On the Indian side, it has been by Shah and co-produced by Samir Sarkar.
The film was also supported by CNC Cinémas du Monde, Epic MegaGrants, Film¬ und Medienstiftung NRW and French region Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
International
Council of Europe to unveil new TV and streaming co-production convention
Series Mania Forum to host landmark signing to boost global TV collaboration
LILLE: The small screen is getting a big policy push. At this year’s Series Mania Forum in Lille, Alain Berset will take centre stage to chair the opening ceremony for a new international convention aimed at reshaping how television and streaming series are co-produced across borders.
Set for March 26 at the Théâtre Marie Curie in Lille Grand Palais, the signing marks the debut of the first legal framework dedicated specifically to the independent co-production of series. In an industry where stories travel faster than ever, the move aims to make collaboration smoother, fairer and more transparent.
Backed by the Council of Europe, the convention is designed to strengthen cultural ties, give independent producers a firmer footing, and bring greater clarity to deals in a rapidly evolving content landscape. With streaming platforms fuelling a surge in global storytelling, the timing feels deliberate.
Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset, underscored the cultural heft of series today, noting how they carry voices and viewpoints across borders. He called on member states and countries beyond Europe to sign on, framing the initiative as a way to turn culture into a tool for cooperation and democratic exchange.
For Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg, hosting the signing is both symbolic and strategic. She described the convention as a step that could widen the range of stories reaching audiences, staying true to the forum’s long-standing mission of championing diverse storytelling.
The ceremony will unfold alongside the Lille Dialogues, a high-level summit that gathers policymakers and industry leaders to debate the future of Europe’s audiovisual sector. Berset is also set to deliver the opening address there, adding political weight to a week already rich in creative ambition.
In short, as screens multiply and borders blur, Europe is putting a framework in place to ensure that storytelling keeps pace, collaboratively and coherently.
