Rewrite Screenwriters’ Residency Programme 2022 announces 11 mentored projects for second phase

Rewrite Screenwriters’ Residency Programme 2022 announced its official talent and projects that were selected and mentored for its second phase, Rewrite 1.2, which was held from 24 – 30 August.

In this edition, 11 stories set in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Delhi were selected to participate.

The writers were mentored by writer-director Ajitpal Singh, who helmed the acclaimed feature Fire In The Mountains (2021) and SonyLIV web-series Tabbar (2021), Sherni (2021) writer Aastha Tiku, and Chauranga (2016) filmmaker Bikas Mishra.

There were four observers who witnessed the mentor-mentee sessions from a distance. They included assistant writer-director at Platoon One Films, Pavithra Sreekumar, developmental practitioner and filmmaker Santa Nibedita, finance and commodities trading practitioner Vikesh Patel, and writer-director Vivek Kunwar.

Rewrite is a young biannual residential programme for emerging screenwriters where 12 emerging writers come together to creatively develop their ideas. Beginning from a logline to a pitch ready screenplay, this residency helps the writers enhance, refine, and detail out their stories for the screen.

The programme founder Suruchi said, "Rewrite is a place for collective growth, a place where young writers share their personal stories within the community to find creative ways to express themselves through their script. [We are] very happy to have taken the chance to open access to potential writers with the Pay What You Can model. We saw a diverse group of writers thanks to that approach."

The residency offered the option of paying what you can to all selected applicants to ensure the participation at the residency moves out of the sphere of economic pressures for both the writers and the organisers.

Singh stated, "These young girls are doing something unique at Rewrite. We often hesitate to take initiatives thinking about various challenges. I learned after coming here that more than money, resources or network. One needs courage to dream of something like this."
 
Mishra added, "The future of Hindi cinema is being created here at rewrite. It connects us back to our roots and shows us up close the diversity of stories in India. Rewrite is providing fertile ground for authentic Indian stories."

The selected and mentored writers and projects for Rewrite 1.2 phase are listed below.

Sujata Never Killed The Yellow Budgie (English)
by Abhishek Pandey

The Mourning (Hindi)
by Aditya Verma

Vilakhanpur (Punjabi)
by Amit Jindal

Zakia (Hindi)
by Arastu Zakia
 
Ahichhatrapur (Marwari)
by Arvind Charan
 
Udaas Pahad Aur Ghum Pakshi (Kumauni)
by Nidhi Saxena
 
The Late Autumn Dream (Bengali, Khasi, English)
by Pramati Anand
 
Jay Prakash Ka Dukh (Maithili, Hindi)
by Rahul Mandal
 
Black Miracle (Marathi, Hindi, English)
by Rohan Apte
 
Jholachhap (Hindi)
by Swapnil Jain

Possessed (Hindi, Punjabi)
by Udit Khurana