Soniya Kirpalani wins co-production challenge at MipDoc 2008

CANNES: Dubai-based producer of Sprocket Sciences, Soniya Kirpalani of Indian origin has bested out a strong field consisting of contestants from the US, South Africa, and other countries to win the co-production challenge at MipDoc 2008 in Cannes in the south of France on Saturday.

The pitch for her six part documentary series Threads of Tradition tracks six eastern fashion icons who are trying to build up global brands in their countries, in order to break the stranglehold that international brands have on the entire fashion value chain.

The series is being shot across Europe, Asia, Africa and Europe and the US and chronicles the likes of Lecoanet Hemant (they are trying to bring the discipline of Paris on the footpaths of Punjab), Pakistan fashion duo Rizwan Beyg and Mahen Khan, Bangladesh‘s fashion model turned designer Bibi Russell, Emirates designer Zahra Karmostaji and south Korean fashion power house Andre Kim.

Kirpalani pocketed 2,000 euros in a cash prize and has already got interest from some European and Asian broadcasters to license the series. Kirpalani said that the series should be completed in the next five months, and she had already got in 70 per cent of the funding needed to complete it.

Her closest competitor was Los Angeles producer Daniel Cross whose documentary pitch on a punk cultural change which is taking place amongst Islamic youth in the US, Pakistan, Australia. He went on to win a consolation prize.