MICA, Filmmaker Aranya Sahay Launch Fellowship for Marginalised Filmmakers
Bilkul Online
Bilkul Online
Ahmedabad | 16 Oct 2026
MICA, in collaboration with filmmaker Aranya Sahay, has launched the MICA x Aranya Sahay Creative Fellowship to support filmmakers from marginalised communities and help bring underrepresented stories to the screen.
The fellowship will select up to five filmmakers through an open call. Projects at the development, production and post-production stages are eligible. Selected fellows will receive project grants, participate in a week-long residency at MICA’s Ahmedabad campus and gain access to the institute’s post-production facilities.
The initiative aims to address barriers faced by young filmmakers from marginalised backgrounds, particularly in accessing funding, industry networks and production resources. It seeks to provide both financial assistance and opportunities to connect with professionals from the Indian and international film industries.
During the residency, fellows will interact with filmmakers, producers, distributors and film festival professionals, alongside MICA faculty and students. Confirmed participants include filmmaker-producers Kabir Khan and Nikkhil Advani, distributor and producer Prasad Shetty, Anu Rangachar, Delegate for South Asia at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), and Deepti D’Cunha, International Programming Consultant for South Asia at the Red Sea International Film Festival and former Artistic Director of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
MICA Director and CEO Jaya Deoras Deshmukh said the fellowship reflects the institute’s commitment to expanding access to creative opportunities and ensuring that diverse voices find space on screen. She emphasised the importance of supporting storytellers whose experiences and perspectives often remain unheard.
Aranya Sahay, writer-director of the award-winning feature Humans in the Loop, said the initiative seeks to address the challenges young filmmakers from marginalised communities face in accessing funding, resources and distribution opportunities.
Professor and filmmaker Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi added that the fellowship would empower underrepresented filmmakers to tell stories rooted in India’s diversity, with the potential to resonate with international audiences.
Applications for the fellowship open on 11 October 2026, with the programme expected to begin on 25 November 2026.
Through this initiative, MICA and Aranya Sahay aim to strengthen access to filmmaking infrastructure and professional networks while creating opportunities for a wider range of stories to reach audiences.
