Kolkata filmmaker Sriyanka Ray posthumously wins Emmy for 'Homeroom Dreams'
The late Kolkata-based filmmaker, Sriyanka Ray, has been posthumously awarded an independent Emmy Award for her short documentary Homeroom Dreams. The film, which explores the housing problems of poor people in New York, won the award in the category of "education/school-short or long form content." This is Ray's first independent Emmy win as a director and producer after 13 nominations.
Ray's journey and contribution to cinema
Ray, a La Martiniere for Girls and Presidency University alumna, studied film at Jadavpur University before relocating to New York in 2012 for a master's program. She became a part of BRIC, an arts and media institution in downtown Brooklyn, two years later. National Award-winning filmmaker Farha Khatun praised Ray as a "tremendous force in bridging Indian filmmakers with the West."
Ray's family expressed joy and sorrow over posthumous win
Ray's family understandably had mixed feelings about her posthumous recognition. Her sister, Sanjana, called the film an expose of New York's major housing problem for those living below the poverty line. Their mother Ishita Ray said: "It is such a joyous moment. Our daughter should have been there to receive this award." The filmmaker was only 33 when she died of a sudden illness on vacation in Bolivia last year.
