‘A Doll Made Up Of Clay’ is one of 16 films playing in the La Cinef section at the Cannes Film Festival. Writer and Director Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay (@kokobgebrehaweria ) and Producer Sahil Ingle (@sahilingle_ ) reveal how they made the “zero budget” film, what they hope to gain from the festival, and a lot more in this conversation with Anupama Chopra (@anupama.chopra ).
Watch the full conversation on ‘The Hollywood Reporter India’ YouTube channel. Link in bio.
Associate Partner: #Longitude77
Travel Partner: Air France (@airfrance )
Hydration Partner: Vedica Himalayan Spring Water (@vedicaspring )
Luxury Mobility Partner: BMW (@bmwindia_official )
#TheHollywoodReporterIndia #THRIndia #THRIndiaAtCannes2025
Hello...!
Please join us for *Zero Budget Project Screening*✨
📅 Monday, 9th February
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Main Theatre
🎬 *19th Batch PFT Zero Budget Project*
A Doll Made Up of Clay
⏱ Duration: 24 Minutes
Synopsis:
After selling his father’s land to chase a football career in India, Oluwaseyi, a young Nigerian footballer, suffers a devastating injury that ends his dreams. Lost and desperate, he seeks escape through the healing power of his ancestral rituals.
Producer: Sahil Manoj Ingle
Writer & Director : KOKOB GEBREHAWERIA TESFAY
Cinematographer: VINOD KUMAR
Sound Recording & Design: SOHAM PAL
Editing: HARU / MAHMUD ABU NASER
Music Composer: HIMANGSHU SAIKIA
Executive Producers:
ROHIT RAMESH KODERE & UMA KUMARI
Line Producer:
AVINASH SHANKAR DHURVE
Cast:
IBRAHIM AHMED, GEETA DOSHI, RWITABAN ACHARYA
Chief AD: HARSHVARDHAN UBALE
Assistant Cinematographer & Focus Puller: ANUJ CHAWARE
Assistant Directors:
DIPANJALI KHAKLARY, AMOL POGARE, MEGHA SHARMA
Sound Team:
HRIDHYA RAVEENDRAN, YUKTA BISHT, TANAYA GANESH
Makeup: UMA KUMARI
Sculpture: HARISH KUMAR, CLIO SASI
Production Designer: PANKAJ POPATRAO KATWARE
Color Correction: ROSHAN KUMAR & MANI KUMAR
Special Thanks:
KAMAL KUMAR, ANANTHU NK, RAFINA KHATUN, SURAJ NAGOANKAR,
VINAY PANDIT, MAHARSHI KASHAP, RITAM SARKAR, KAMIL SAIF,
RAVI KUMAR, ANUP ABRAHAM PRACKAL, HRREESHABH BHADRAWAL,
SOURABH DHARMSHALE, SANKET MISHIRA, STUDENT UNION,
and all SRFTI Faculty & Students
Join us for this special screening and celebrate passion, resilience, and storytelling!
See you there!
#SRFTI #cannesfilmfestival #studentfilm #filmschool #zerobudget
Hello...!
Join this free session on Producing & Festival Strategy with SRFTI Student @sahilingle_
Sahil Ingle is the Producer of Film " A Doll Made up of Clay" which was selected in the Cannes Film Festival, France, 2025.
#freecomers #cannesfilmfestival #filmstudent #studentfilms
Breaking into festivals isn’t about luck. It’s about strategy, positioning, and execution.
This Filmy Friday, learn how films are positioned, selected, and leveraged across the festival circuit — directly from a Cannes-backed producer.
🎬 Sahil Ingle
Producer – A Doll Made Up of Clay
Session: Producing & Festival Strategy
🗓 9 Jan 2026
⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
🎟 Free registration | Limited seats
Clear process. Real insights.
Practical frameworks you can apply immediately.
👉 Register now. Link in bio.
#filmfeatival #independentfilm #aspiringfilmmaker #festivalcircuit #filmmakercommunity
Young filmmakers are the future of cinema. 🎬
Freecomers Filmy Friday is where they come to interact, ask real questions, understand the journey, and learn directly from people who’ve done the work. No gyaan. No gatekeeping. Just real insight and honest conversations.
📅 January Filmy Friday Sessions
🎟️ Free to join
👉 Want the registration link?
• Comment “JOIN”
• Or DM us “FILMY”
We’ll send you the link.
See you inside.
#Freecomers #FilmyFriday #aspiringfilmmaker #YoungFilmmakers #independentcinema
From zero budget to a Cannes La Cinef world premiere.
This Freecomers Filmy Friday is a deep dive into how A Doll Made Up of Clay was produced, positioned, and taken to a global stage with clear decisions and smart constraints.
No motivation. No noise.
Just practical insight for filmmakers who are building for real.
🗓️ 9 Jan 2026
⏰ 6:30 PM IST
📍 Zoom
🎟️ Free for Freecomers users
Register by completing your Freecomers profile(it's free).
#freecomers #FilmyFriday #IndependentCinema #aspiringfilmmaker #cannes
From zero budget to a La Cinef world premiere at Cannes.
Not a lucky break. A series of deliberate decisions.
On 9 January, Freecomers Filmy Friday features Sahil in a high-signal conversation on how A Doll Made Up of Clay moved from idea to Cannes through resource innovation, producer-led execution, and strategic festival navigation.
No theory. No fluff. Just real operating insight for filmmakers building from zero to one.
Save the date. Be in the room.
#Freecomers #FilmyFriday #CannesLaCinef #ADollMadeUpOfClay #IndependentCinema #ZeroBudgetFilmmaking #FilmProducing #FestivalStrategy #EmergingFilmmakers #FTII #IndieFilm #FilmCommunity #producerlife #aspiringfilmmaker #indie #indiefilmmakers
Today, I received a beautiful gift and a heartfelt token of love from the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) @diff.india — a cap, a bag, and a warm handwritten note. ❤️
Due to certain reasons, I couldn’t attend the festival in person, but I watched so many films and gained so much knowledge through the process. Working for DIFF was truly an honour.
A big thank you to the Festival Director and the entire DIFF team for trusting me, believing in my vision, and considering me worthy enough to work with such an inspiring community.
And a special thanks to @monicagyamlani — for trusting me and opening the door to this beautiful opportunity to connect with passionate filmmakers, critics, and creative souls from around the world.
Grateful. Inspired. And forever connected to the magic of DIFF. ✨
