Hindi
Persistence Resistance docufest goes to London
NEW DELHI: Documentaries from India, Banglaesh and the United kingdom will be screened in ‘Persistence Resistance 2011: Documentary Practices in India’, to be held in London from 1 to 8 November.
Organised by the Delhi-based Magic Lantern Foundation, the Festival will start with a focus on Indian documentary practice to create a more informed ground to explore its specific histories, styles and provocations. The aim is to explore further political and aesthetic affiliations across geographical locations and disciplines, according to the Foundation.
Filmmakers like Arun Khopkar, Deepa Dhanraj, Rahul Roy, Rajula and Shah Saba Dewan, from India, Yasmine Kabir from Bangladesh, as well as UK based filmmakers John Wyver, Mairead McClean, Mao Mollona, Margaret Dickinson and Simon Chambers will feature their films. They will be joined by, and be in conversations with, Alisa Lebow, Alpa Shah, Guilia Battaglia, Laura Bear, Lotte Hoek, Lucia King, Nicole Wolf, Partha Mitter, Radha D’Souza, Ravi Vasudevan, Ros Gray, Rosie Thomas, Stephen Hughes, Stewart Motha and Ziba Mir Hosseini.
The documentaries include Something Like a War by Deepa Dhanraj, Figures of Thought by Arun Khopkar and The Other Song by Saba Dewan.
There will be interactive sessions on ‘Indian Arts on Films’, ‘Documentary as Witnessing the Judiciary’, ‘Movements of everyday political/aesthetic practice – emergencies, revolutions and the paradoxes of involvement’, ‘Dialogues in Movement, Poetry and Song’, ‘Global Migrations, Labour and Activism’, ‘Urban Dreams: Public Cultures, Sexuality and Pleasure’ among others.
According to Gargi Sen who organises this festival every year in Delhi, Persistence Resistance in London would like to widen the spectrum of conversations between those films and their audiences, between filmmakers and viewers through a series of constructed conversations between academics and practitioners. It introduces archival and very recent works that have not been shown in London previously.
The festival is a collaborative effort between Magic Lantern and five academic institutions – Goldsmiths, London School of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of Westminster and Brunel University.
Hindi
Rajesh Ramaswamy exits The Script Room to focus on filmmaking journey
Ad filmmaker steps away from own venture to pursue direction and storytelling
MUMBAI: In a move that has caught the attention of the advertising and creative community, Rajesh Ramaswamy has announced his exit from The Script Room, the company he co-founded, marking the end of a seven-year stint at the helm.
The decision, which came into effect earlier this month, signals a shift in focus for Ramaswamy, who is now looking to immerse himself fully in filmmaking and direction as an independent creative.
Known for blending sharp advertising insight with storytelling craft, Ramaswamy has been instrumental in shaping The Script Room into a creative hub that delivered campaigns, branded content, and original storytelling formats. Over the years, the company collaborated with agencies, directors, and a wide network of writers, while also experimenting with formats such as short films and web series.
Sharing his thoughts on the transition, Ramaswamy indicated that the move is driven by a desire to focus and explore stories he has been developing over time. While he acknowledged the unconventional nature of stepping away from one’s own venture, he also framed it as a necessary leap toward clarity and creative pursuit.
Importantly, The Script Room will continue its operations with its current team and leadership, with Ramaswamy expressing confidence in the group that helped build the company’s identity. The studio, he noted, remains well-positioned to evolve further with fresh talent and ideas.
His exit also reflects a wider industry trend, where experienced advertising professionals are increasingly transitioning into independent filmmaking, tapping into the growing opportunities across digital and long-form content platforms.
As Ramaswamy steps into this new phase, the move underscores a familiar creative instinct, sometimes, the boldest ideas begin with a clean break.
