Popular Film makers, Amit Madhesiya and Shirley Abraham alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia, Nishtha Jain, which has recently hit the news for being targeted by the Delhi Police, have been invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) in USA to judge the Oscars.
All the three alumni – Nishtha Jain, Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya are postgraduates from Jamia’s AJK Mass Communication Research Centre.
Shirley expressing her joy, on the micro-blogging site twitter wrote, “As an independent filmmaker, I know the value of the legitimacy of my voice, of a place at the table. Honoured to be invited by @TheAcademy to join as a member. Such blazing talent, our class of 2020. A world of work ahead of us and I’m so ready.”
As an independent filmmaker, I know the value of the legitimacy of my voice, of a place at the table.
Honoured to be invited by @TheAcademy to join as a member.
Such blazing talent, our class of 2020. A world of work ahead of us and I'm so ready.https://t.co/IJaEzJJbcv
— Shirley Abraham (@shirley_abraham) July 1, 2020
Amit’s tweet read, “I am incredibly honoured to be invited to join @TheAcademy ! And thrilled to be in the class of 2020 with my brilliant collaborator @shirley_abraham and many wonderful friends (sic).”
I am incredibly honoured to be invited to join @TheAcademy! And thrilled to be in the class of 2020 with my brilliant collaborator @shirley_abraham and many wonderful friends. https://t.co/Q0Oqq3Wmvc
— Amit Madheshiya (@amitmadheshiya) July 1, 2020
Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya have been nominated for their documentaries “The Hour of Lynching”, which is a powerful 2019 documentary and exclusive research based project on the cow vigilantism and mob Lynching in India.
Their Debut movie “The Cinema Travelers”, a feature-length documentary which received a standing ovation at Cannes Film festival.
The film has won 19 awards including the Presidents Gold Medal in India apart from the rare festival trifecta of Cannes, Toronto and New York Film Festival.
While their work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, The Pulitzer Centre, New York Times, MacArthur Foundation, IDFA, BBC among others, Shirley and Amit were felicitated as distinguished alumni who had contributed significantly to the Documentary Arts by their alma mater in 2017.
In a statement released by the body, Academy President David Rubin said, “The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now.”