Ashok Amritraj brings together filmmakers from India, Singapore and the Middle East for a docu series that reflects the UN’s Millennium Development Goals
“This is the kind of thing I’d like to do. Bridge nations and bring together cultures…” says Ashok Amritraj about his “Chance of a Lifetime.”
The United Nations, Variety magazine, Ashok Amritraj’s California-based Hyde Park and Abu Dhabi’s Image Nation (which maintains strategic partnership with Hyde Park) come together for “Chance of a Lifetime,” a documentary series on themes that reflect the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.
Giving details during his visit to Chennai, the filmmaker says the hunt is on for documentary filmmakers for a series that would bring together talent from India, Singapore and the Middle East.
“This will be a one-of-a-kind series for the UN. We are working with competent local groups to scrutinise applications and shortlist the aspirants. Only four persons will make the cut from each region for the shoot. The best thing about the initiative is that each team will have a member from different countries. So the winning team will have participants from India, Singapore and the Middle East. It’s going to be an exciting collaborative cinematic experience and I’m glad to provide the platform for it.”
The shooting with shortlisted participants from different regions will take place in Mumbai in March next year. “Since it is a series, the elimination will take place gradually, depending on the tasks accomplished by the teams. I will give them various production assignments. The filmmakers can plan their shoots and also draw from the archival footage of the UN which will be made available to them. We are looking at filmmakers who are not just creative but also compassionate about serious socio-economic issues. The winning documentary will be screened at the UN and its various programmes worldwide. It will also be shown and feted by Variety at Cannes next year. The process of identifying the television network for telecasting the series is on.”
As someone who has hosted the successful Gateway reality show on filmmaking on Sony Pix earlier, Amritraj is gung-ho about the work, “For me, it’s going to involve a lot of time and travel. But I’m excited about integrating people from diverse cultures in such a huge creative exercise and making them come up with a unified vision. In essence, it’s what the UN stands for.”
Those who wish to apply can write to tigersdomain@gmail.com.
Keywords: Ashok Amritraj, documentary filmmakers
