A short film, made by students of Kolkata's Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), is making waves internationally – it is headed to the 78th Festival de Cannes 2025.
The film, titled A Doll Made Up of Clay, has been selected for the prestigious La Cinef section, which showcases works by film school students from around the world.
A Doll Made Up of Clay features a 23-year-old Nigerian footballer, Ahmed, who originally came to play seven-a-side games in the city – and somehow ended up in front of the camera as an actor.
The movie has been written and directed by Kokob Gebrehweria Tesfay, an Ethiopian student at SRFTI and produced by Sahil Manoj Ingle.
Executive Producer Uma Kumari said, "Coming from Rewari, a small town in Haryana, and now getting the opportunity to represent India on a global platform like Cannes feels like a dream. As a female Executive Producer, it's a proud moment — not just for me, but for every young dreamers from places where cinema isn't often seen as a career. Carrying the spirit of Haryana, and India with me, I'm excited to step onto the world stage and show that no dream is too far when you believe in it."
A Doll Made Up of Clay was made under the institute's zero-budget programme.
“SRFTI provides us with the shooting location and the studios. I had to mobilise resources from within or outside the institute. That is the real challenge that we had to learn. It is a huge honour that the film made in this manner will be screened at Cannes,” shared producer Sahil Manoj Ingle, as quoted by the Times Of India.
Kokob, who hails from Zalmbessa in Ethiopia's Tigray region, studied theatrical arts at Addis Ababa University before coming to India on a scholarship from the Indian Council of Cultural Research. He enrolled in SRFTI's direction and screenplay writing course and brought his documentary experience to this fictional project.
“I made a documentary on African footballers in Kolkata. As an African filmmaker, this story is very close to my heart. The film is inspired by the real-life experiences of these young men—a story of hope, identity, transformation, and survival. I had the privilege of being mentored by Putul Mahmood, Mehdi Jaan, and Siladitya Sanyal throughout this project,” he said.
The lead role is played by Ahmed, a non-professional actor from the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria.
“Many African players come to Kolkata to play the seven-side or five-side games. We earn per match and that is what brings us here. I acted in primary school plays but never faced the camera before. When asked to act, I just played myself in front of the camera,” Ahmed shared.
A Doll Made Up of Clay has a mix of Yoruba and Bengali languages and dives deep into the life of a young Nigerian player who sells his father's land to chase a football dream in India — only to have that dream crushed by a serious injury. Heartbroken and lost, he turns to his roots and ancestral rituals to heal and rediscover himself.
