Discover the story of a place that’s more than just a home.
In a world where disability often means exclusion, Shuktara in Kolkata, India, is a place where young people with disabilities find a sense of belonging, love, and acceptance that transcends boundaries.
Shuktara (working title) is a documentary in advanced production unfolding over the 20th anniversary year of shuktara: a lifetime home for children with physical and intellectual disabilities in Kolkata, India. The film reveals a complete cycle of possibility for the kids living in the home from new beginning, to taking wings, through end of life. Shuktara is a film that shows how unconditional love, acceptance and security can make a radical difference for children living with disabilities and the people caring for them.
We are fiscally sponsored by the Creative Visions Foundation and still raising funds for post-production and distribution.
Contact us for more information on how to make a tax deductible contribution or become sponsor of the film.
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SHUKTARA DOCUMENTARY TEAM
Phoebe Brown – Director/Producer
Phoebe Brown began working in India in 2011. What began as research for a documentary on education for girls in India transformed into The Cross Stitch Project: a computer, video, and empowerment training program for girls (and several honorary boys) in a slum community in Kolkata.
Phoebe met shuktara founder David Earp on that first trip to India and knew she’d met a kindred spirit and they began collaborating on the documentary in 2016. What Phoebe has learned in her travels through India is that change in this world can be small but mighty, and every effort to better this world matters.
Raegan Hodge – Cinematographer
Raegan Hodge is a videographer and filmmaker specializing in creative films that advocate for positive change both domestically and internationally. Since 2011, Raegan has shot and edited films for many non-profit clients including CARE USA in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Niger, Guatemala, Peru and others.
In 2016, Raegan embraced VR technology, seeing its valuable application in humanitarian work. Her film Women on the Move, a virtual reality film shot in Niger and sponsored in part by Facebook and Oculus, premiered at South by Southwest in 2017.
Mohua Thakurta – Co-Producer
Born and raised in India, Mohua Thakurta is an independent video content producer who partners with nonprofits, small businesses, documentaries, and films to grow and create engaging, motivating video projects for the last 20 plus years. She started her own video production company, Aaramba in 2018 to tell stimulating stories.
Mohua, taught and mentored students for six years at the Art Institute of Atlanta which led to promising Film Festival-ready films. Before teaching, she worked on the sets of various award-winning film and television projects as an assistant director. She also engaged in editing videos for multiple projects around Atlanta. Mohua was Assistant Director of the award winning film Refuge (2003) a feature documentary set in Clarkston, GA.
In addition to being involved in creating content, she mentors Clarkston-based entrepreneurs at the START: ME accelerator program. She holds an MFA in communications and film production from Georgia State University
Elizabeth Strickler – Executive Producer
A passionate believer in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Elizabeth uses her talents to support students and clients to start businesses, tell immersive stories, and build a stronger cultural economy. She is excited to combine her knowledge of media technologies and the decentralized movement with local, digital and international communities. As the Director of Media Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) and The Blockchain Lab at Robinson College of Business, she works to make her visions become reality and virtual reality.
Unblinking Eye I Phoebe Brown 