Hirva
Amidst the stark contrasts of Mumbai’s towering skyscrapers and impoverished slums, a young girl, Hirva, from the Warli tribe discovers a mysterious map in her grandmother’s box. As she navigates the concrete jungle, guided by an invisible spirit, she encounters symbols that lead her to a magical forest. There, she witnesses the forest’s past destruction and confronts the majestic yet scarred leopard god. Through a transformative encounter, she learns the tragic history of her people’s displacement and returns home with newfound strength, bridging the past and the present. This is all captured in a film with no dialogues, relying solely on powerful imagery and music to convey the deep emotional journey.
Director Biography - Utkarsh Ashok Bankar
I hail from Belgaum, Karnataka, a city surrounded by natural beauty that has always inspired my creative spirit. From a young age, I developed a deep passion for sketching and painting, and over time, I honed my skills and decided to pursue my love for art further by enrolling at NID. There, my focus shifted to communication design, where I learned from industry experts and discovered the fascinating world of animation. Creating animated sequences, where static images came to life, gave me immense joy and solidified my desire to explore this field further. I've always been a fan of animated films, from Disney and Pixar classics to anime and indie shorts, as well as various commercials. These works have fueled my passion for animation and filmmaking, and I’m excited to continue exploring new techniques and mediums to bring stories to life through animation.
