MICA, Filmmaker Aranya Sahay Launch Fellowship for Marginalised Communities

MICA has announced a new creative fellowship in collaboration with filmmaker Aranya Sahay to support filmmakers from marginalised communities and expand the representation of underrepresented voices in Indian cinema.

The MICA x Aranya Sahay Creative Fellowship will select up to five filmmakers through an open application process. It will consider projects at the development, production and post-production stages, offering financial assistance, professional mentorship and access to filmmaking infrastructure.

Each selected filmmaker will receive an upfront project grant, participate in a week-long fellowship programme at MICA's Ahmedabad campus and gain access to the institute's post-production facilities to further develop or complete their films.

The initiative seeks to address challenges that emerging filmmakers from marginalised backgrounds often face, including limited access to funding, industry networks, production resources and distribution opportunities.

Industry experts to mentor selected filmmakers

During the week-long residency, fellows will interact with professionals from Indian and international cinema, along with MICA faculty members and students. The programme is designed to encourage creative exchange, strengthen professional connections and help filmmakers navigate the industry.

The announced list of invited participants includes:

Kabir Khan – Filmmaker and producer

Nikkhil Advani – Filmmaker and producer

Prasad Shetty – Distributor and producer

Anu Rangachar – Delegate for South Asia at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)

Deepti D’Cunha – International Programming Consultant for South Asia at the Red Sea International Film Festival and former Artistic Director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival

The organisers said additional participants would be announced later.

MICA highlights the importance of diverse storytelling

MICA Director and CEO Jaya Deoras Deshmukh said that India's diversity offers a wealth of stories, but many remain untold because their creators lack access to the resources and professional opportunities needed to bring them to audiences.

She said the fellowship reflects MICA's commitment to making creative opportunities more accessible and nurturing filmmakers whose perspectives can broaden the way India and its people are represented on screen.

Deshmukh emphasised that storytelling should not be limited to a small group of people and that supporting a wider range of creative voices is essential to shaping the future of cinema.

Aranya Sahay aims to address barriers in filmmaking

Aranya Sahay, writer-director of the feature film Humans in the Loop, said his experience in filmmaking had shown him how films reaching mainstream audiences often emerge from a relatively narrow range of social backgrounds.

He noted that underrepresentation affects both the stories told on screen and the people who get the opportunity to tell them.

According to Sahay, the fellowship aims to address some of the barriers faced by young filmmakers from marginalised communities, particularly in accessing funding, production resources and distribution networks. He also expressed his appreciation for collaborating with MICA on the initiative.

Fellowship to connect local stories with global audiences

Professor and filmmaker Dr Darshan Ashwin Trivedi said the fellowship would help filmmakers from historically underrepresented communities tell their stories and bring India's diversity to a wider audience.

He also highlighted the potential of the creative economy, sometimes referred to as the orange economy, to connect original local ideas with international audiences.

Trivedi welcomed the initiative as an opportunity to nurture innovative storytelling and support filmmakers in developing projects with broader cultural relevance.

MICA x Aranya Sahay Creative Fellowship: Key dates

The fellowship represents a joint effort to widen access to filmmaking opportunities and professional networks. By combining financial assistance with mentorship and infrastructure, the initiative aims to help more filmmakers develop their projects and bring perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream cinema to wider audiences.

About MICA

Founded in 1991, MICA, located in Ahmedabad, is an institution specialising in strategic marketing and communications. The institute combines creativity, consumer understanding, strategy, technology and business in its academic programmes, research and industry engagement.

Its interdisciplinary approach focuses on preparing professionals for the marketing and communications sectors.