Netflix’s short docu-film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ shortlisted for the 95th Oscars

Voting on the nominations runs from January 12 to 17, 2023, and nominations will be announced on January 24, 2023.

Hyderabad: Premiered on Netflix on December 8, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ is a short documentary film on the heartwarming story of an indigenous couple who have been given an orphaned elephant, Raghu to look after. The story follows Raghu’s recovery and survival, weaving a beautiful tale of unconditional love and bond between the couple and Raghu.

Commenting on ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ being shortlisted, producer Guneet Monga shares, “It’s an honour to be in the esteemed company of such diverse projects in the top 15 shortlisted films at the upcoming Oscars 2023. We are beyond ecstatic that ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, a story of elephants in South India and the indigenous communities that co-exist in the same space, has been shortlisted at the 95th Academy Awards for Best Documentary Short Film.”

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The opportunity to bring a true heartland story from the beautiful Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, to a global stage is truly rewarding, says Guneet and adds that Sikhya has always thrived to tell unique stories from local perspectives with global impact and popular streaming platform Netflix took this story to a global audience.

Elaborating further, she says, “Director Kartiki shares an intimate connection with the story for years and has articulated the relationship between the elephant and its caretakers so beautifully! It’s a great year for India at the Oscars and while we cherish this moment, we hope that all our films go all the way and continue to represent the exciting array of pan-India stories.”

Adding onto that, director and executive producer Kartiki Gonsalves said, “I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to work on this short documentary and incredibly happy to have been shortlisted for the 95th Oscars Awards. As a close observer of the bond between careers and elephants, I was charmed to see their heartwarming relationship grow. I am very glad this story has gone to the hearts of millions and so thankful to Netflix for believing in the story and supporting us along this journey.”

Voting on the nominations runs from January 12 to 17, 2023, and nominations will be announced on January 24, 2023. The 95th Oscars ceremony will be held on March 12, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.