A video grab from the tralier of the short film Sirocco.
A 27-year-old Kolkata-based wildlife filmmaker, Ashwika Kapur, whose documentary won the Green Oscar in the newcomer category last year, is now headed for the US. Her short film about a special kind of parrot native to New Zealand, 'the kakapo', has been shortlisted for the prestigious Grand Teton Award at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival this October and Ashwika is hoping to make it to the top.
"It's an honour even being shortlisted for the Grand Teton Award," says Ashwika, "and I am praying my documentary wins."
Her documentary, Sirocco: How a Dud became a Stud, is about a kakapo called Sirocco who is apparently one of just 125 left in the world and the only bird in the world who has a government job: conservation ambassador of New Zealand. She was looking for an interesting post graduate film project while doing her masters in science and natural history filmmaking at the University of Otago in New Zealand when she came across Sirocco and decided to tell his story.
"Sirocco's is a rags-to-riches story. He is really special. He believes he is a human being and not a bird," says Ashwika.
Ashwika's love affair with animals started young. She had a mini-zoo in her verandah as a school goer. She was interested in films and television and after a BA in English from St Xaviers College in Kolkata she headed for South Africa where she trained in wildlife filmmaking. And then headed for New Zealand to do a masters in the subject.
Besides Sirocco, she has shot several other documentaries, including The Hidden World of Rockpools, Archey and Friends, Another Day in Paradise and Song for Eden.
Does she plan to shoot an India species? "I was fascinated by the gibbons of Assam, apparently the only species of apes in India, and I would love to do something on them," she says.
However, the big day on her calendar right now is 1st October when the Grand Teton Awards will be announced at the Jackson Hole Film Festival. "The festival is held near the Yellowstone National Park," says Ashwika, "and I am really looking forward to being there."