CHENNAI:
Haresh Narayanan
, a young engineer from Chennai, won the first
Iyackuddy Rabindran Short Film Fund
(IRSFF) for his
short film
script “Theetu.”
The script is about classism in present-day metropolitan India.
In 2018, Viewfinder Film Consulting announced the Iyackuddy Rabindran Short Film Fund (IRSFF) and script competition, established to support new filmmakers from the South Asian diaspora around the world and encourage women working in film production.
The IRSFF is named in honour of the late Iyackuddy Rabindran who loved Tamil cinema, had immense respect for those in the field of filmmaking and supported the work of women in South Asian entertainment and media.
The winner receives Canadian $1000 investment towards the film’s production and free consulting services and festival representation from VFC for a one-year term. The recipient of the IRSFF must employ at least 25% female cast/crew as part of the project’s production.
Narayanan is the first recipient of the fund. The film will be executive produced by VFC. “Theetu” will be Haresh’s film directorial debut.
The IRSFF runner-up title is awarded to Radhika Prasidhha, a film and theatre actor, and practising psychologist. Her script “Appa’s Seasons’ is a reflection on a young woman’s temperamental relationship with her aging father, and will be represented by VFC in its film festival pursuits.