The Elephant Whisperers has won Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards. It is the first Indian production to win in the category.
1st Oscar for an Indian production
India creates history at the 95th Academy Awards as The Elephant Whisperers, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, wins Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards. It becomes the first Indian film to win an Oscar in this category and the third to be nominated after The House That Ananda Built-in 1969 and An Encounter With Faces which competed for Best Documentary Short in 1979 respectively.
And here comes the Oscar!! Many congratulations to team of #TheElephantWhispers for bringing home the honor. pic.twitter.com/YjEfxixSEh
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) March 13, 2023
The other four nominees in the same category were Haulout, The Martha Mitchell Effect, Stranger At The Gate, and How Do You Measure A Year?
'The Elephant Whisperers' wins the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film. Congratulations! #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/WeiVWd3yM6
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 13, 2023
The Elephant Whisperers, which was shot at the Mudumalai National Park, is the tale of an orphaned elephant calf named Raghu in the care of Bomman and Belli, a tribal couple. The documentary observes not just the bond that develops between them as well as the natural beauty of their surroundings. The Elephant Whisperers was released on Netflix in December 2022.
Here’s why a Documentary winning Oscars is huge
The documentary winning the Oscars is a matter of pride for India for multiple reasons. First is watching two women, Guneet Monga, and Kartiki Gonsalves, take the stage at the Oscars holding their trophies in hand, was a huge moment for women in cinema. It took over five years for Kartiki to research the subject before going ahead and making the film. According to reports, it wasn’t easy finding producers and names to back the project in its initial days.
Best documentary short film goes to the Elephant Whispers #oscar23
Congratulations Team ❤️ pic.twitter.com/G87AAPJ68c— Girish Bharadwaj (@Girishvhp) March 13, 2023
Guneet Monga, who’s a co-producer on the film, went all out to guarantee that the short film got audiences not just in India but all over the world.
The win at the Oscars encourages not only future short filmmakers but also women writers, directors, and producers who intend to back a similar project. Documentary as a genre might not be as compelling as the main feature film, but The Elephant Whisperers’ win is undoubtedly going to change that thought process.
