Anthropological/Ethnographic Film

The country’s prestigious National Film Awards were incepted in the year 1954. Since 1973, the award ceremonies were administrated by the ‘Directorate of Film Festivals’ and the awards were introduced to encourage and honor the films made across India. Generally all the National Film awards are organized in New Delhi. Every year the government appoints a national panel to select the winning entry and the awards are handed out by the President of India to the winners for the year. The award was first introduced in 1988 and was first presented to Manjira Datta for her film ‘Raaste Bund Hain Sub’. Since 1986, Manjira Datta has been an independent documentary filmmaker. Her films focus on environment, rural and industrial labor, politics, and discrimination against women among other themes. She currently lives in New Delhi and continues to make films as an independent filmmaker.