Sanskriti is an ancient Sanskrit word that translating to the English word for culture. Following five unique global ambassadors of the millennial generation and shot over four continents, ‘Sanskriti‘ is a feature length documentary and a global adventure from a dedicated, New York City based filmmaking collective. The film aims to profile five members of the Millennial Generation – the young people born,roughly, between 1980 and 2000. By profiling their day-to-day lives, exploring their universe, finding out their goals for the future, and understanding who they are, we will attempt to answer the tough questions presented by a modern word, full of technological advancement and social uncertainity.
As we barrel through the post-millennial era, this generation is now beginning to come of age, entering their young adult lives – a period of uncertainty, hope, ambition, and enormous change. Gazes and Interests are turned to the future, as we try to figure out life’s meanings, destinations, and routes.
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’ aims to understand what it means to be a member of a global village and a digital landscape. It is 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 better understand the world we live in.
The Subjects
- Mark Mwangi is a student at the University of Nairobi in Nairobi, Kenya, studying Geospatial Engineering. Each year, less than one hundred people graduate university with this degree in the entire country of Kenya. Obsessed with space and technology from a young age, Mark is interested in technology and its confluence with the arts and human interest. He believe there is huge potential for technology to improve the standard of living of all, and is interested in working in tech towards this.
- Liisi Heiskanen is a student living in Vantaa, Finland, and pursuing her Cambridge AICE Diploma, a rigorous English-language academic certification offered all over the world, which acts as a preparatory degree for higher studies. She plans to study Development Psychology at the university level. She is engaged to a young woman from North Carolina, who she met online in a Yahoo chatroom, and recalls she was in love from the first day. It was a year before they met for the first time in person, and, after an extended visit in the summer of 2012, Liisi proposed. She plans to relocate to the US in the future, once she’s reached a financial stability.
- Matt Bush is a senior at Michigan State University in Michigan, USA, and will be graduating May 2013. He is studying Professional Writing, and is a User Experience web designer. He’s always been fascinated with the idea of building something, tearing it apart, and making something new. His views surrounding his work and the web experience is that things can always be better, and he is driven by the possibility of using technology to make our lives easier. After graduation, he plans to relocate to Chicago to work for a web design firm.
- Aditya Nayak lives in Delhi, India, and is a student studying Computer Science. He is at the forefront of a social revolution in India, brought on by the influx of new technologies that have been embraced by the younger generations. While still a student, Aditya has launched multiple websites, and has created his own web design company, which is bringing in much successful business. He’s inspired by the idea of using technology for social justice, and is an ambitious idealist, with hopes of changing the world.
- Yiran Cai is a college student in Shanghai, China, studying English literature. She is a contemporary technology consumer, and whether it be through her laptop, iPad or iPhone, she is constantly connected. She is an adventurous free-spirited traveler, and has used modern technological means to expand her network around the globe. Upon graduation, she plans to relocate to the United States to continue her studies.
‘Sanskriti‘ is currently involved in a rigorous fundraising campaign in order to secure the funds for production. They are partnered with From The Heart Productions as a fiscal sponsor, a 501 (c)(3) company, allowing donations to be tax-exempt.
Donate to the ‘SANSKRITI‘ IndieGoGo Campaign – HERE
The ‘Sanskriti’ Team
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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.
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