Quick Facts
Biography
Shabnam Virmani is a documentary film maker and artist in residence at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore since 2002. Co-founder of the Drishti Media Arts and Human Rights collective, she has directed several documentaries, some of which have won awards. In 2002, she co-directed an award-winning community radio program with the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan in Gujarat.
Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein, a documentary film by Shabnam Virmani on the poet-saint as part of her Kabir Project, has won the Special Jury Prize at the 58th National Awards, June 2011.
She was conferred this award for,"An insightful film that introduces us to the various cults that have grown around Kabir, the mystic weaver and saint. It explores the nuances of India's argumentative tradition as exemplified by Kabir's dohas and traces the eventful journey of one man caught in an Orwellian dilemma as he is elevated to the status of a cult leader, torn between the inevitable trappings of hierarchy that run paradoxical to the simple philosophy of Kabir".
Awards and nominations
Had-Anhad (Bounded-Boundless)
Journeys with Ram and Kabir
- 1st Prize (shared), One Billion Eyes Documentary Film Festival, August 2009, Chennai
- Mahindra Indo-Americal Arts Council Film Festival, 5–9 November, New York City
- World Performing Arts Festival, Nov 2008, Lahore, Pakistan
- Bangalore International Film Festival, Jan 2009, Bangalore, India
- Kala Ghoda Festival, Feb 2009, Mumbai
- Inaugural film, VIBGYOR International Film Festival, Feb 2009, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Chalo Hamara Des (Come to My Country)
Journeys with Kabir and Friends
- One Billion Eyes Documentary Film Festival, August 2008, Chennai, India
- World Performing Arts Festival, Nov 2008, Lahore, Pakistan
- International Festival of Sacred Arts, Feb 2009 Delhi, India
- VIBGYOR International Film Festival, Feb 2009, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Koi Sunta Hai (Someone Listens)
Journeys with Kumar and Kabir
- One Billion Eyes Documentary Film Festival, August 2008, Chennai, India
- World Performing Arts Festival, Nov 2008, Lahore, Pakistan
- VIBGYOR International Film Festival, Feb 2009, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein (In the Market Stands Kabir)
Journeys with Kabir and Friends
- Special Jury Prize at the 58th National Awards, India, June 2011.
When Women Unite:The Story of an Uprising/Aadavallu Ekamaite
- Grand Prize, 6th Tokyo Global Environmental Film Festival, 1997.
- Chingari Video Festival, Conference on South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, 1996
- Margaret Mead International Film Festival, New York City, 1997
- Margaret Mead Travelling Film and Video Festival, 1997–98
- Film South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal, 1997
- 5th Mumbai International Film Festival, 1998
- Sakshi Film Festival, Bangalore, 1998
- Prakriti Film Festival, Pune, 1999
- New Delhi Video Festival, 1999
Tu Zinda Hai!/You Are Alive!
- Awarded Best Film in the Society & Development Category, International Video Festival (IVFEST), Thiruvananthapuram, 1995
- Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan, 1997
- Chingari Video Festival, Conference of South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, 1997
- Film South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal, 1997
- Prakriti Film Festival, Hyderabad, 1997
- Fribourg Film Festival, Switzerland, 1998
Umati Umang ni Damri/Hopes Soaring High
- Mumbai International Film Festival, Video Vista, 1996
- Margaret Mead International Film Festival, New York, 1996
- Margaret Mead Travelling Film Festival, USA, 1996–97
Kunjal Paanje Kutch Ji (Sarus Crane of our Kutch)
Radio production
- Chameli Devi Jain Award for Women in Journalism, March 2001