Documentary
‘Never Ask Why’ set for public release in 2024
Mumbai: Multi-award winning docu-drama ‘Never Ask Why’ is in talks with OTT platforms in India for global release in 2024, after the documentary’s remarkable success in the international film circuit.
Till date, the 19-minute short docu-drama has garnered over 63 awards and laurels at global film festivals, including ‘best director’ & ‘best short film’ wins at the Cannes World Film Festival, The French Duck Film Festival, Oregon Documentary Film Festival, Paladino d’Oro Sport Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, Naples Film Awards etc.
“Never Ask Why” has also been a semi-finalist at the Academy Award & BAFTA qualifying Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, bringing it tantalizingly close to be selected for Oscars & BAFTA glory.
The maiden project of Eating Potatoes, a film-focused production house of new-age advertising agency Buffalo Soldiers, “Never Ask Why” beautifully chronicles the journey of 20 under-privileged kids in the inaugural year of the Jishnu Mitra Foundation, where children united under the banner of the ‘Dream Team’ came to play in the U-15 Delhi Youth League. “We are in talks for a global release and hope everyone can see the beauty behind the docu-drama that has resonated deeply with audiences around the world,” explained Eating Potatoes co-founder & CEO Sumon K Chakrabarti.
Jishnu Mitra Foundation was launched in 2018 with a mission to promote football among underprivileged children under the age of 15.
“The unfulfilled dream of a young football fan, Jishnu Mitra, became the catalyst to help achieve the dreams of talented young under-15 football players who come from a section of our society that’s struggling to meet their daily needs,” said Tech Mahindra former MD & CEO CP Gurnani. “I think it was a difficult subject, to convert it into a story of triumph of hope over a tragedy, ‘Never Ask Why’ was a beautiful rendition of someone’s dream,” Gurnani added.
“The passion with which the kids of Jishnu Mitra Foundation have been playing football, I think the team behind ‘Never Ask Why’ told the story with similar passion and art. And it tears me up very easily,” said AVSM and India’s first individual Olympic medalist Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, at a private screening of the docu-drama at Alliance Française in New Delhi.
Directed by Saurabh Dubey, a co-founder of Eating Potatoes, the film has had 17 private screenings across Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, New Jersey, and Atlanta, touching the hearts of audiences worldwide. “While the Dream Team of JMF boys didn’t win the league, they captured the hearts and minds of everyone with their passion for football,” says Dubey. “The journey of these children, their zeal and dedication, despite the hardships, is what makes this story so powerful. It’s a narrative of hope, dreams, and the transformative power of sports.”
The foundation has two coaching partners – TSC Asia in Delhi NCR and Veterans Club in Kolkata. Jagdish Mitra and Urmi Mitra, who started the Jishnu Mitra Foundation, said: “We are overwhelmed by the global recognition ‘Never Ask Why’ has received. It’s a testament to the work we are trying to do at Jishnu Mitra Foundation, to the power of storytelling and the universal appeal of hope and perseverance.”
Documentary
Netflix and Warner Music ink landmark documentary deal
The streaming giant has just unlocked one of the richest vaults in music history. Its rivals should be worried
CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK: Netflix and Warner Music Group have signed an exclusive multi-year deal to produce documentary series and films drawn from the label’s storied artist roster, the companies announced on Friday — a move that hands the streaming platform access to one of the most formidable catalogues in music history.
Warner Music Group represents legends including David Bowie, Cher, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin and Joni Mitchell, alongside contemporary superstars such as Charli XCX, Coldplay and Bruno Mars. That is a staggering breadth of material for a platform hungry for prestige content and subscriber growth to match.
Under the agreement, Warner Music will work with Unigram, the production company aligned with the label, which will serve as the studio for its long-form projects. Each title will be developed in collaboration with the artists themselves or their estates, ensuring the kind of intimate access that turns a documentary into an event.
The deal reflects an intensifying race between music-rights owners and streaming platforms eager to turn deep catalogues into premium visual content. Music documentaries have become a vehicle for fan-driven, culturally resonant programming — a trend underscored by Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” film, which grossed over $260 million globally and reminded every platform chief just how lucrative the genre can be.
Netflix already boasts formidable credentials in music storytelling, with “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” and “Quincy” among its highest-profile releases. The Warner deal sharpens that edge considerably. Rival platforms have not been idle: Disney+ has released “The Beach Boys”, while Max has drawn attention with “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.” Apple Music, meanwhile, has pushed into original content through its Apple Music Live series, producing documentaries and livestreamed concerts featuring Harry Styles and Billie Eilish.
The battle for music’s visual soul, then, is well and truly on. Netflix has just made its boldest move yet.
