About REAR WINDOW FILMS
Rear Window Films specializes in cutting edge visual story telling in the genres of documentary films, participatory video and fictional narratives.
At the heart of Rear Window Films is producing films that concern human struggles and
further a just & equitable society. We are especially interested in supporting films that concern
human rights, feminist struggles, LGBTQIA rights, conflict based migration and
environmental issues.
We offer our clients support and opportunity to publicize their success, advertise their
achievements and expand their horizons by using films as a medium to communicate their
work or personal stories.
Through our work in participatory communication, we help our clients develop group
dynamics, confidence to articulate and empower them to voice their opinions.
About KAVITA DASGUPTA
Select Filmography
Ongoing Projects in Sweden
Freedom Bloggers! A film on persecuted writers from Bangladesh seeking refuge in Sweden. Even as Sweden celebrates 250 years of the Freedom of press act, freedom of speech and expression remains a contentious and a life threatening concern for many writers in other parts of the world. This film documents the journeys of Bangladeshi bloggers and journalists seeking refuge in Sweden because they are persecuted in their own country for promoting scientific and rational ideas through their writings disseminated via books and the Internet. Since 2013, over 40 secular individuals have been attacked, several of them killed, by the hardline Islamists in Bangladesh. Several others writers who are under threat of attack from the hardline Islamists have left Bangladesh for Sweden and other parts of the world to escape the imminent threat on their lives. This film will document the histories of these writers as well as their everyday struggle of being banished from their homes - and adjusting to their new lives in a foreign country.
The project is currently at an early stage - with ongoing research, preliminary interviews with the Bangladeshi bloggers and fundraising activities to complete this documentary. I am currently working to create a trailer and pitch for this project, as well as launch a project website - that can be used to raise awareness about the issue, and gain wider support for the film. The project is supported by the Swedish Chapter of PEN International – an international writers association promoting literature and freedom of expression.
‘Being Amma’ is a visual art project which explores the idea of personhood in relation to becoming a mother. The installation is an interpretive reflection the processes through which a parent’s identity dissolves and is re-shaped during the mundane activities of everyday life. Located in Uppsala, Sweden, the project is envisioned as a public art project that initiates a dialog on parenting within the community. I am currently seeking financial support from various arts organizations in Sweden to curate this project.
‘Welcome Out!’ Film Festival is an LGBTQ film festival that will be hosted as a part of the Welcome Out Pride week in September 2017 in Uppsala, Sweden. The Welcome Out event is a pride festival for lifting the voices of LGBTQ people of international backgrounds and strengthening the inclusive spirit of Uppsala and is supported by RFSL Uppsala. I am curating the two-day film festival which will screen international films and host panel discussions with filmmakers, focus on migration issues for the LGBTQ community
Visual Art
The Chase March 2015 (Experimental Video)
Inspired by the experiences of the tribal people being relocated from the forests of Bandhavgarh in central India.
Tiger King of Chichnupur October 2015 (Photonarrative)
The fascinating story of a tribal king who walks with the tiger and whispers to the winds.
Khela: Play December 2014 (Photography)
The play between Shiva and Parvati, the god and goddess of creation and destruction. Performed by the indigenous people living on the island villages of the Sundarbans in East India.
Films
in a circle around itself (2014) EDITOR & NARRATOR
The Film traces the materiality of cinema through its sites of production, breakdown, consumption, circulation and afterlife within the Indian market economy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b7YUGwOUkE
Trikon Khirki Wala School (2012) DIRECTOR & PROJECT DESING
This film was conceptualized with the students of Adharshila Learning Center, a school for tribal children from Central India to question, ‘why should learning not be fun and interesting?’ https://vimeo.com/49151968
Apna Sheher Our City (2006) DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & STORY
A development debate on who decides the future of the Indian capital, the workers who have travelled from their villages to build it or those who hold political and social power.
Apna Gaon Our Village (2006) DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & STORY
A village up in the mountains of Himalayas is going to be submerged as a Dam is being built to bring power to the cities. More and more men have been migrating to the city in search of work while the women stay back to protect their home and children and fight for the survival of their village.
Dance with hands held tight (2005) CO- DIRECTOR, STORY & SOUND
80 % of rural women are engaged in livelihoods depended on natural resources in India. Filmed in the coastal villages of Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, and Orissa, this film tries to explore key questions of State policy on recognition of indigenous knowledge systems. Produced by United Nations Development Programme, this film won the ‘Most Viewed’ award and the ‘Critics Award for Best Art Film’ at Culture Unplugged festival in 2006.
Jal Tarang – 28 mins/ (2004) DIRECTOR, STORY
Film on Accessing Watershed Programme in Rajasthan. A Film for ARAWALI, NGO in Jaipur, India.
Talon Mien Taal (Hindi) (2004) CO- DIRECTOR, SCRIPT
Film on Conservation issues in Bhoj Wetland in Bhopal produced for Centre Environment Education (CEE)
S.T. A. R.T. – …a beginning (2003) DIRECTOR, STORY
Film funded by UNDP and Regional Research Laboratory, Bhopal, India
Colours of the Earth (2002) DIRECTOR, NARRATOR & STORY
Kavitha, is a 25 year old dalit woman who makes films. Her subjects are the women of her community who have challenged the stronghold of caste and acute poverty to create a world of their own. This film was screened at the World Summit on Sustainable Development held at Johannesburg in 2002 https://vimeo.com/50671952
The Cry of the Forest (2001) CO- DIRECTOR, SCRIPT, RESEARCH
Documentary on people- park conflict funded by Public Service Broadcasting Trust –Doordarshan, India.
Apna Jungle Apni Kahani (2001) CO- DIRECTOR, SCRIPT, RESEARCH
Flm on the people’s conservation movement around Sariska Tiger Reserve.
A film produced with Tarun Bharat Sangh, India
International Media Experience
MENTOR & TRAINER European Social Documentary 2008, 2012
ESoDoc is a training initiative offered by ZeLIG School for Documentary and supported by the European Union’s MEDIA Programme. Mentored and trained filmmakers in in two annual events organized in Italy in 2008 and Kenya in the year 2012.
PRODUCTION MANAGER AND FIELD PRODUCER The Amazing Race (CBS) 2001-2012
The Amazing Race is a multi-Emmy award winning American reality show produced by CBS Television. Worked as a Production Manager and Field Producer for the Indian sub-continent for 12 seasons of the show between 2001-2012.
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR 2001-2004
Earth Pulse- Series on Environment Heroes broadcast on National Geographic Television for Beyond Productions, Australia.
RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR 2003
A 60min. documentary on pesticide poisoning export and poisoning with Hornung TV, Germany.
Participatory Media
NATIONAL SCHOOL SANITATION INITIATIVE (NSSI) – 3 Short Films 2014
Conceptualized and Trained more than 40 children across urban India to transform their vision towards environment into short films about good sanitation practices. The project was initiated by various Indian government agencies with support from GIZ, Germany. https://vimeo.com/77777142
BAHELIYA’S TRAP 2013
Baheliyas are a de-notified nomadic tribe, also known as a criminal tribe, in the forested areas of Central India. Worked with 8 Baheliya boys through a participatory video film to reconnect them to their past and identity and find new meaning for their future. Produced by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. This film was selected for The Golden Elephant, the premiere children’s film festival of India. https://vimeo.com/63671265
ENVIORNMENT EDUCATION 2012
Supported by WWF Sweden through their programme with WWF India on Sustainable Development, this project helped train tribal children in Madhya Pradesh and youth on the Islands of the Sundarban delta to produce 3 films on local perspectives of sustainable development.
PVR NEST CINEART 2010
200 children from privileged and disadvantaged sections of Delhi from 20 different schools come together to create 10 short films on generic environment themes. The twist was provided by the heights of creativity and imagination explored by the children through a series of participatory video workshops conducted by ECO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHlbn8rnWC8
MY CAMERA MY WORLD 2010
Is it possible for three different sets of children living at different levels of negotiation from three different parts of India to come together through one common language of films? Find out by watching a delightful, poignant and original film made together by children and professional film makers. https://vimeo.com/27287829
Directorial assistance/ Story and Research
Elephant - a God in distress 30 min/1999
Documentary film on Elephants and their survival crisis.
Harvesting Hunger 53mins/2000
Documentary film on agriculture and globalization. Sponsored by Action Aid
Selected for Toronto Environment & Wildlife Film Festival, Oct,2000.
Received Special Jury’s Award at Okomedia Environment Film Festival 2000, Germany Awarded at Earth Vision Environmental film Festival, Tokyo 2001
Selected for Competition at the festival of The Adventure of Man, Italy, March 2001
Selected for Competition at North South Media Festival, Geneva, March 2001
Broken Bread 23 mins/2000
Documentary on Food Security
…there is a Fire in Your Forest 58 mins/1999-2001
Documentary film on the Kanha National Park and it's conflict with the Indigenous people who have lived there for centuries. Funded by Swiss Aid https://vimeo.com/50823868
Whose Water? 26 min /2000
Film on India’s water policy and people’s initiatives with regard to water management. Funded by UNDP for Tarun Bharat Sangh. Screened in WSSD, Johanesburg, 2002
Jardhar Diary 29 mins/2002
Film on people’s fight over their own resources in Garhwal.Funded by Ford Foundation and WinRock Internationl Awarded at EarthVision Environment Film Festival , Tokyo, 2003 . Screened in WSSD, Johanesburg 2002. https://vimeo.com/49290966
Kavita Dasgupta is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker who has almost 20 years of
experience in documentary filmmaking, participatory media and TV production. She has
directed several award winning documentaries concerning women’s rights, environmental
issues and human rights. Some of her notable films are Dance with your hands held tight (2014),
Trikon Khirki wala School (2009), Colours of the Earth (2004). She has trained over a 100
individuals from marginalized communities across Asia, Africa and Europe in Participatory
video for using films as a tool for empowerment. Her production experience includes working
as a field producer for over 10 seasons of the Emmy Award winning show, The Amazing Race.