Directed by Simantini Chakraborty
We live in a hectic and chaotic world that relentlessly stresses our planet, humans and animals alike. joyful is a unique audio-visual exploration of finding joy in all the turmoil that surrounds us. This short film uses videos, timelapses, hyperlapses, drone shots, slow motion, astrophotography and satellite images from around the world with dramatic sound design and music overlay to depict life as we know it and simple moments of joy and calm that provides us respite in all the chaos…
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Director Biography – Simantini Chakraborty
Simantini is a documentary filmmaker who tells compelling stories about people, places, issues and events that truly matter using dramatic visual imagery, technology and sound design. Simantini has a unique background in filmmaking, photography, technology and world travel, which motivates her to explore universal aspects of human condition through film. joyful is Simantini’s debut film and has already won many awards in the US and around the world. The universal theme of the film continues to resonate strongly and emotionally with people from all cultures and backgrounds and the film has already screened in acclaimed film festivals in 17 countries across 5 continents within a few short months.
Simantini has undertaken filmmaking courses at University of California’s School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles. She has also worked in various creative aspects of technology in product design, branding and launch in tech startups in Silicon Valley, California. Simantini also has an MBA from Washington University.
Simantini is an avid photographer and drone pilot, a passionate adventurer and an eternal optimist.
Director Statement
The world has changed inexorably in the recent weeks and many months due to the devastating impact of a senseless war in Ukraine and also due to the horrible effects of an ongoing global pandemic. People have become more anxious, more isolated. The world now is so full of hate, anger and chaos fueled by divisive political rhetoric, socio-economic disparity, rampant misinformation, wide-spread racism, incessant greed and lust for power, lack of compassion towards fellow humans and abject apathy towards the planet.
In such a tumultuous time, I wanted to use my voice as a filmmaker, photographer, technologist and world traveler to share the message of hope, love and humanity with the world as films are a powerful, expressive, universal, and oftentimes magical medium of expression.
“joyful” is a unique audio-visual exploration of finding joy in all the turmoil that surrounds us. The film asks a simple yet profound question: “what is the speed of happiness?” I have strived to create mind-blowing experiences by manipulating time in various ways along with dramatic sound design and music overlay to depict our contemporary life and simple moments of joy and calm that provides us respite in all the chaos. I have compressed time through timelapses and hyperlapses to heighten the sense of relentless chaos, stress and tension caused by our modern lifestyles. And I have stretched time through slow motion drone videos and astrophotography to bring calm and tranquility to remind us what really matters in the end.
I am extremely grateful and overjoyed that the universal language of my film has been resonating so strongly with people around the world. I dedicate my debut film to joy, hope and our collective humanity in a chaotic and stressful world.
Experimental Film & Music Video Festival 
