Ghost Animation’s ‘Wade’, on climatic catastrophe, now selected at DIFF and MAF 2020

Getting good news is the norm for Ghost Animation! Kolkata based animation studio’s 11-minute animated short on climatic catastrophe, Wade, has now found a place as an official selection at DIFF (Dharamshala International Film Festival) and will be screened from 29 October to 4 November 2020.

Started by filmmakers and longtime Dharamshala residents Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam in 2012, the main aim of DIFF was to give the local community a platform to watch good alternative cinema. Over the years, DIFF has become one of India’s leading independent film festivals and draws audiences from across the country and further afield. This year, DIFF is happening virtually due to the outbreak of Coronavirus.

 

 

 

 

 

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We’re really, really happy to be in the formidable Official Selection lineup of @diff.india (Dharamshala International Film Festival) ✨? . . In a little over a week, @wadethefilm will be available for viewing at the wonderful @diff.india ! Watch this space for viewing links 🙂 #film #shortfilm #wadethefilm #animation #2danimation #dharamshalainternationalfilmfestival #diff2020 #dharamshala #indianfilmfestival #indiancinema #art #illustration #ghostanimation #independentfilm #indiananimation

A post shared by Upamanyu Bhattacharyya (@upamanyubhattacharyya) on Oct 20, 2020 at 11:06pm PDT

Excited and happy to be a part of DIFF through Wade, co-director Kalp Sanghvi told Animation Xpress, “It’s an honour to be a part of this amazing film festival as it’s the second Indian festival that Wade is in. We’re proud that Wade is amongst some really amazing films and filmmakers, but also a little sad about not making it to Dharamshala this year due to COVID-19. We would have really loved to visit the mountains at this lovely festival. Hopefully, next year!”

Sanghvi also informed that after DIFF, Wade will travel to the Manchester Animation Festival (MAF) and will be screened from 15 to 30 November 2020. 

Wade depicts a terrifying picture of what a climatic dystopia looks like, where Royal Bengal tigers from Sundarbans and a group of people face off on the flooded streets of a ravaged City of Joy (Kolkata) in order to survive. Wade is conceptualised and created by Sanghvi and Upamanyu Bhattacharyya. 

Wade has bagged the ‘City of Annecy Award’ at Annecy 2020; ‘Audience Award’ at Brooklyn Film festival; ‘Best Art Direction Award’ at Animayo Las Palmas festival, Gran Canaria; ‘Best Animated Short’ at ShortStop Festival; ‘Artist Award’ at Odense Film Festival (OFF) and the Satoshi Kon Award for ‘Best Animated Short Film’ at Fantasia International Film Festival. 

Besides Wade, Ghost Animation’s Watchmaker At Time’s End by Shaheen Sherif has very recently won ‘Best Foreign Comedy’ at San Francisco Indie Shorts. More details on that, coming soon! Stay tuned!