India Celebrates As ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ Oscar Win Hands Country First Competitive Academy Award For Directing-Producing

deadline.com:

Director Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga became the first Indian filmmakers to claim competitive Oscars after their short documentary The Elephant Whisperers won the Academy Award tonight.

Gonsalves gave thanks to “my motherland, India,” as she accepted the award. The Elephant Whisperers revolves around Bomman and Belli, an Indigenous couple and their “large” family – orphaned elephant calves that they help raise in the Theppakadu Elephant camp within the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in South India.

Gonsalves spent five years following this human-elephant blended family for her Netflix documentary. “I stand here today to speak for the sacred bond between us and our natural world,” Gonsalves said as she began her acceptance speech, “for the respect of Indigenous communities and empathy towards other living beings we share our space with, and finally, for coexistence.” She added, “Thank you to the Academy for recognizing our film, highlighting Indigenous people and animals, to Netflix for believing in the power of the film, to Bomman, Bellie for sharing their sacred, tribal wisdom.

To Guneet, my producer… and to Douglas Blush, my mentor, and my entire team. And, finally, to my mother, father, and sister who are up there somewhere.