Selection

2021 SelectionList

Bearlike Man

Bearlike Man

Country India
Director Sapna BHAVNANI
Producer Sapna BHAVNANI
Writer Sapna BHAVNANI, Kashif KHUSRO
Production Company Wench Films
Format DCP | Color | 90min
Genre Horror, Thriller, Fantasy

Synopsis

When Tara was younger, she was unknowingly possessed by a grizzly bear. When she finds out her son Angad has a rare disease, The Bear Syndrome, she is rattled. Upon the advice of the local witch that pubescent virgin blood would cure him, Tara purchases Sanj, a 12-year-old girl and gets them married. Angad has been kept locked in a room all his life with no access to the outside world with only a mirror to reflect on. Unaware of his own syndrome the story revolves around his and Sanj’s journey as they find freedom from matriarchy. The grizzly bear possessed Tara and the Bearlike Son Angad come to terms with their own demons as Sanj looks into her own mirror of darkness.

Director

Sapna BHAVNANI
Sapna is best known as Producer/Director of her award winning documentary Sindhustan. Sindhustan started its festival journey in 2019 and is her first feature length documentary. The film is about the largest migration of a culture in history told through tattoos on her body. Sindhustan has won 9 Feature Documentary Awards and travelled to 21 festivals and is now streaming online on Movie Saints.
In July 2020 she launched her production company called Wench Films to push women talent primarily from India to the world and keeping that philosophy in mind also launched a successful 1st edition of Wench Film Festival in March 2021 where 86 women from cinema were showcased. Actor, spoken word artist, hair stylist, writer, director, producer - Sapna embodies it all as a visionary and a change maker.
Currently her 2nd feature My Dog Is Sick is in the Visions Du Reel Film Market ready to start its festival journey while she is writing a book titled Chapter One for Harper Collins and working on her 3rd feature Bearlike Man.
The rest, like they say is herstory.

Production Company

In July 2020, Sapna BHAVNANI formed a production company called Wench Films to promote and push primarily women talent (LGBTQ inclusive) from India to the world. The aim is to  shape perspectives by shifting the gaze and have a conversation on a global platform. In 2021 Wench Film Festival was launched and 86 women talents were showcased.