The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary short film, has become the first-ever film from India to win an Oscar. The Kartiki Gonsalves-directorial, deals with the bond that develops between a couple and an orphaned baby elephant. The film ended decades of Oscar drought for Indian films. Over five decades, several Indian films, ranging from Mother India and Lagaan to documentaries and animated features, had been nominated at the prestigious awards but fallen short at the final hurdle.
The 95th Academy Awards were presented at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The awards, given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), are widely considered among the most prestigious film awards in the world. While largely centred around American films, the awards also honour other films from around the world.
The Elephant Whisperers beat four other films in the Best Documentary Short Subject category – Haulout, How Do You Measure A Year, The Martha Mitchell Effect, and Stranger At The Gate. The Indian short film had been predicted to win at the Oscars by many experts and trackers, given the Academy’s love for animal-based films and the accolades the film itself has received in the past. Accepting the award, director Kartiki Gonsalves dedicates it to 'my motherland India'.
Set in the Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu, The Elephant Whisperers tells the story of an indigenous couple named Bomman and Belli, who are entrusted with an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu. The story tracks how a strong bond develops between the couple and the elephant as they attempt to nurse the injured infant to health. It explores themes of how the tribal folks of India live with harmony with nature.
Produced by Guneet Monga’s, Sikhya Entertainment, the film had its world premiere on 9 November 2022 at DOC NYC Film Festival, a film festival for documentaries in the US. It eventually got a worldwide release on Netflix on December 8.
