Striking student-led short film Strings, directed by Neha Kumbhar, is making waves across the international and national film festival circuits, racking up a massive collection of accolades.
Produced by a dedicated team of Animation and VFX students from UPES, the film has officially secured multiple major honours. Key highlights include winning best student micro short film at the Stay Gold Film Festival in the United States, earning best editing at the ImagiNation International Student Film Festival, and being named the Grand Prix Silver Medalist in the best micro short category at the prestigious Film Olympiad.
Alongside these headline wins, Strings has amassed over 15 official selections, nominations, and finalist placements worldwide. Its festival run includes screenings at the Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival, Cambodia Asian Film Festival, Open Frame Galați, and the Tianjin International Academic Film Festival (TIAFF), among many others.
The film stands out for its tactile, hand-crafted aesthetic, utilising stop-motion puppetry to deliver a powerful narrative. The student team independently managed the complex pre-production and production pipelines, demonstrating high technical proficiency and creative vision.
“Seeing our dedication to tactile storytelling recognised with a global win in the US, a major editing award, and a Silver Medal at the Film Olympiad is incredibly validating,” said director Kumbhar. “It proves that student-led independent animation can stand strong on the global stage alongside international creators.”
With this successful festival run established, the creative team behind Strings is currently looking toward the professional animation industry. Several members have already secured internships at major studios like Green Gold Animation.
