India’s presence at this year’s Academy Awards is impossible to ignore. The prestigious award ceremony is currently being held in Los Angeles, California, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting the iconic film event for the third time. Oscars are brimmed this year, with Naatu Naatu (RRR) up for the Best Original Song. As for ‘All The Breathes’ and ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, the latter has created history after bagging the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film. However, Shaunak Sen’s project lost the Best Documentary Feature Oscar to Navalny.
Set in the Mudumalai National Park (Tamil Nadu), The Elephant Whisperers’ story revolves around an old couple, Belli and Bomman. They start caring for a baby elephant, Raghu, and go to great lengths to ensure that the fragile baby survives and grows up to be a healthy juvenile. Soon, the bond between the couple and the baby elephant strengthens. Apart from this heart-touching story, the project excels at showcasing the natural beauty of Tamil Nadu, Indian culture, and the tradition of environment conservation.
All The Breathes competed against Fire of Love, A House Made of Splinters, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, and Navalny, with the last one ultimately snatching the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Shaunak Sen’s directional sheds light on the story of two brothers residing in Delhi, who have set the goal of protecting black kites, a bird breed standing close to extinction due to the city’s toxic environment.
Helmed by Kartiki Gonsalves, The Elephant Whisperers was released on Netflix on December 8 last year and opened to critical acclaim. It is a production of Sikhiya Entertainment. It currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Stay tuned for more updates.