We are happy to introduce to you our 6 judges for the upcoming 4th Auroville Film Festival.
As usual, the three judges for the international category of films that develop the theme of Human Unity are residents of Auroville, whereas the three judges for the 3 Auroville categories
1. films made by Aurovilians, bioregion residents or guests of Auroville
2. films made about Auroville / bioregion
3. films made by students of Auroville / bioregion
are international film professionals.
For the 3 Auroville categories (by Aurovilians, about Auroville and by students of Auroville):
Mala Kapadia
Writer, healer and teacher, Dr. Mala Kapadia, is Founder of Human Potential Consulting named ‘Tame the Monkey’. Poet, gardener, cultural creative, eco feminist and committed to world peace.
Researching in area of Wellbeing, Holistic Healing and Integrated Intelligence for more than 2 decades, Mala has been renowned speaker internationally. She has developed psychometric based on ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and certification course of the same.
Her book ‘Heart Skills Emotional Intelligence for work and life’ has been awarded ISTD Award 2008-2009. Her work integrates Western Competency Framework of EI (Emotional Intelligence) with Eastern perspectives and wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda. She has been pioneer in teaching EI and Leadership as one credit course to MBA students in India and Singapore since 1999.
Festival Coordinator for 7islands International Film Festival, Mumbai, India. Mala pens poems, essays and short stories in Regional languages Gujarati and Hindi.
Philippe Borrel
Philippe has travelled a couple of times around the world for the past 25 years and have always given priority to human stories while directing documentaries.
After Philippe had graduated from the “Centre de Formation des Journalistes” in 1990, he started as a journalist-reporter in the American ghettos, in Algeria, in Bosnia… In 1993, Philippe received the Young Reporter Prize at the “Festival International du Scoop” in Angers (France) for his movie “Les orphelins de Billancourt”, which deals with the last workers of Renault cars.
Philippe now directs documentaries that give voices to those who never had it.
“The Invisible (R)evolutions” (85′ – Arte – 2014)
“A World Beyond Humans?” (96’ – Arte – 2012)
“Eco-warriors” (57’ – Arte – 2011)
“Un monde sans fous ?” (67’ – France 5 – 2009)
“Alerte dans nos assiettes” (97’ – Canal Plus – 2008)
“Prison à domicile” (54’ – Arte – 2007)
“Tracked Down By Our Genes” (52’ – France 5 – 2007)
“Not in Our Name !” (57’ – Arte, CBC Canada, Télé Québec – 2006)
“Un milliard de bouches à nourrire” (26’ – France 2 – 2004)
“Premiers secours” (5×26’ – Arte, Planète – 2003)
Shanki Mahendra
Shanki Mahendra is a cinematographer / director, based in Chennai. After completing his high school graduation at Kodaikanal International School, Shanki joined a short term film appreciation course at Film & Television Institute of India at Pune. With a degree in Visual Communications from Loyola College, Shanki then interned with noted ad film maker Rajiv Menon, before joining his father, the late director Balu Mahendra, as his assistant cinematographer on various feature and television projects.
He went on to being a freelance cameraman for various assignments ranging from music videos, commercials and travel shows to corporate films and documentaries shot in India and abroad. An opportunity to work as a cinematographer on Cheran’s feature film Auotgraph, was his first Tamil feature film. In 2005, Shanki, along with his partner Rekha, started Branded Filmz, a film production company based in Chennai; at Branded Filmz, Shanki directs as well as shoots the various projects the company produces.
Shanki’s passion for imaging goes beyond any specific medium. For him, creating quality images is not something that is dictated by using the best format available, but rather enjoying the peculiar qualities and challenges that various technologies have to offer based on the requirements of the project.
For the international category of films that develop the theme of Human Unity:
Kavitha
I was born and brought up in Auroville, as a third generation Indian/Dutch Aurovilian. I studied at Kodaikanal International high School and then did my bachelor’s in Sustainable Development at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Once back in Auroville I worked at the Entry Service and for fundraising/teaching at the New Era Secondary School. I then worked on a Pitchandikulam project known as Sustainable Enterprise Development in the Auroville BioRegion. Now, i work for a new initiative in Auroville, known as Youth Link. I also am part of the Pitchandikulam team, working with the Pitchandikulam Outreach Desk, connecting Auroville to the Global Ecovillage Network. Auroville and its ideals have always been part of my being, and as the Auroville Film Festival resonates closely with the ideal of Human Unity, i wholeheartedly support the effort as an important cultural aspect and creative expression of our community.
Jill D. Navarre
Jill Navarre was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA and grew up in New York. Writing poetry for 10 years, Jill has had numerous poems published in the U.S. and Canada. In 1977, Jill began working in theatre and has won awards for directing “Rivers of Blood”, (Washington, D.C.) and playwriting, “The Cradle will Fall” (McNeil Award, first prize). One of the founding members of the Sanctuary Theatre, (Washington, D.C.), Jill managed the New Play series, helping many young playwrights to present their work for the first time. Jill has worked as a director in Miami, New York, Washington, D.C. USA. Thailand and India. She has directed more than 40 plays.
Since 1990, Jill has lived in the International township of Auroville, where she is currently directing “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. She is artistic director of The Auroville Theatre Group.
Lella
My name is Lella, I have been living about 30 years in Auroville.
I am Italian by birth, however I feel more like being a citizen of the planet earth.
Since I arrived in this bubbling international township, where many interesting events keep happening, I have done a number of different jobs, according to my inner needs, keeping in mind that the work is a good tool for learning and inner growth. Presently I welcome visitors in Matrimandir.
One of my interests is cinema, and am glad to be involved in the coming Film Festival which will propose to a numerous audience some good quality and inspiring movies.
