Tura-based filmmaker gets Cannes call-up

SHILLONG, May 10: Tura-based writer/director Jenifer Datta Areng has been invited to attend the prestigious Cannes Film Festival to pitch her project before international producers at the Marche Du Film, the official film market.
It may be mentioned that in November 2018, the European Commission started a project to support the creation and enhance the quality of European film festivals organised by the delegations of the European Union. The project is managed by a consortium formed by Goethe-Institut (lead), Institut français and Cineuropa and financed by the European Commission.
The Consortium led by the Goethe-Institut, in collaboration with Institut français and Cineuropa, selected Jenifer Datta Areng to attend and participate in the Marche Du Film in the context of the “Journey to Europe” script development project. “Journey to Europe” is a project initiated by the delegation of the European Union to India in the context of the European film festival organised yearly in the country.
The market film festival is organised between May 16 and 27.
Jenifer began writing, directing and editing her own films shortly after completing her graduation in Sociology and Psychology in 2013 from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. For her, transitioning over to writing stories about the complex patterns of human psycho-social behaviour felt like a natural progression.
Her first short film Little Things (2014) was nominated for Best Student Film at SRFTI Satyajit Ray Film Institute, Calcutta. Her second short film Thank You For Watching (2016) won her a film fellowship at DIFF (Dharamshala International Film Festival) 2017, where she underwent a mentorship under national award winning filmmaker Gurvinder Singh. Jenifer’s last film Tear (2018) starring Vinay Pathak and Trimala Adhikari premiered at the IDSFFK, Kerala, 2019.
Storm Bird is Jenifer’s first feature length screenplay.
In 2021, Storm Bird participated and won a script development competition held by the European Union, Cineuropa, and Initiative Film, France.
The film is currently being supported by HumaraMovie, a Mumbai-based film studio.