Sanskriti संस्कृति
Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fu6YuNQ2Bo
Sanskriti is a feature length documentary and a global adventure.
Shot on four continents and five countries, the film will profile five members of what has come to be known as the Millennial Generation - the young men and women born roughly between 1980 and 2000.
As we barrel through the post-millennial era, this generation is now beginning to come of age, entering our young adult lives – a period of uncertainty, hope, ambition, and enormous change. Our gaze is turned to the future, as we try to figure out what we want out of life, where we want to go, and what’s the best route of getting there.
What are the implications of entering adulthood in this modern, revolutionized, technological universe? How have our goals for the future shifted from the goals of the past?
As a generation trapped in the middle of two eras – the pre- and post-millennium – and the leaders of an unknown future, where do we stand?
Sanskriti will discover what it means to be a member of a global village and a digital landscape. It will be a portrait of a generation and an exploration of the twenty-first century human condition from the point of view of the world’s future leaders. By better understanding today’s most important and complex generation, Sanskriti will try to better make sense of the world we live in.
Mark is a student at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, studying Geospatial Engineering.
Liisi is a student living in Vantaa, Finland, and pursuing her Cambridge AICE Diploma.
Matt is a senior at Michigan State University in Michigan, USA, studying Digital and Technical Writing, and is a User Experience web designer.
Aditya lives in Delhi, India, and is a student studying Computer Science and Information Technology.
Yiran is a college student in Shanghai, China, studying English literature.
Why We Need You
Sanskriti is true guerilla-style filmmaking. Over the course of a few months, our four person crew will be traveling the world with only the film equipment we can carry on a plane. We'll be staying in hostels and wearing through the soles of our shoes. The adventure of the journey will become a part of the film itself.
We can only do this with your help!
Every dollar donated will directly fund the production. We need to pay for:
- Flights to travel from New York to Michigan, Finland, Kenya, India and Shanghai and back home
- Taxis, subways, trains, and other in-country transportation
- Lodging
- Food
- Cameras, lenses, external hard drives and batteries
- Sound equipment
Sanskriti is a passion project for everyone involved, from the crew to the subjects. This film cannot happen without your contribution.
We are proud to be partnered with From the Heart Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company, which allows all donations to Sanskriti to be tax-exempt.
Any and all donations will be met with our undying gratitude and appreciation!
The Filmmakers
Melissa Balan (Director) grew up in the suburbs of metro-Detroit Michigan before relocating east in 2008 to pursue filmmaking, and is a recent graduate of NYU, with a BFA in Film and Television Production. Obsessed with storytelling from a young age, she developed a love of cinema in her early teens, and struck with an overwhelming wanderlust, she has been globetrotting since the age of fourteen. With Sanskriti, she's able to combine her two life’s passions – filmmaking and travel – into one artistic venture. Her NYU senior film, "Brothers in Arms", was awarded the George Heinemann/King Family Foundation Production Award, a prestigous title given to one graduating senior. She's worked on more than fifteen short films, and is thrilled to finally be directing her first feature.
Margaret Reville (Producer) is a recent graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts majoring in Film with a minor in Entertainment Business. Extremely passionate with the world of entertainment, Margaret has worked at NBC Studios, Universal Studios Music Group as well as independent film companies. In the past year, Margaret has produced multiple student films as well as directing and writing her own work. Recently, she was the personal assistant to director Matt Wolf on his upcoming documentary feature “Teenage”.
Shibani Balsaver (Producer), born and raised in Houston, Texas, pursued her passion for storytelling while still in high school. In 2007 she traveled to India for three months to direct a short documentary that follows the life of a housemaid living in the Bombay slums. Since then, Shibani has graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts majoring in Film and TV. She has produced multiple short films, assistant edited a feature film, assisted on 9/11 The Days After, an Emmy-nominated documentary commissioned by History Channel, and edited feature documentary Taboo: Yardies which exposes the aggressive and pervasive homophobia in Jamaica. Sanskriti is the third project Shibani and Melissa will have worked on together.
Zach Stoltzfus (Cinematographer) is a recent graduate of NYU’s Tisch School Of The Arts, and currently works as a cinematographer in New York City. Zach has shot numerous short films, music videos, as well as a short featurette. He is trained and has experience with multiple formats ranging from 16mm, 35mm, Alexa, RED, D21 and the Phantom. Zach has worked with skilled cinematographers such as John Inwood, Scott Bankertt, and Gordon Arkenberg. Previously, Zach has worked with G-Unit and Black20 Media.
Max Mellman (Sound Mixer), originally from Cleveland, Ohio, is a senior in the Film & Television program at NYU, where he has concentrated his efforts on sound mixing. In addition to working on numerous student films, he has worked on documentaries, television pilots and theatrical productions as well as interning at Gotham Sound. Max is a big fan of eating pizza, petting dogs and making friends on the internet.
Other Ways to Help
Sanskriti can not and will not happen without your generosity, and we appreciate any support, even if not monetary. Please help spread the word about our film and our fundraising campaign!
Visit the film's website at https://sanskritithefilm.wordpress.com/ and follow our blog posts to keep up with the film's progress.
Blog, post, tweet, and let everyone know about our effort! We can't do this without you!
