Leslie Shampaine's documentary "Call Me Dancer," which dictates the life story of Young Dancer Manish Chuhan, from the Mumbai slums to the New York stage, has been receiving global praise and recognition.
The documentary is preparing for its theatrical release after having a great run at film festivals and taking home multiple prizes. It has been released in New York on December 15, followed by releases in California, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Canada.
The story of Call Me Dancer is one of perseverance, heartbreak, and hope. Manish and Yehuda, his 70 year old Israeli teacher, change each other's lives together as they work to understand each other better. Yehuda is looking for direction and a place to live. Manish fights to escape the constraints of his own social and economic situation despite having aspirations of performing ballet on a global scale.
The documentary has been shot in America, Israel, the United Kingdom, and India. Featuring two original compositions by Jay Sean, music by award-winning British-Indian composers Nainita Desai and Nina Humphreys, and a score by hip-hop artist Anik Khan, who is from Bangladesh.
Commenting on the film, Cynthia Lopez, an Emmy Award-winning executive director, said, "Call Me Dancer: A Raw, Nuanced Film That Sheds Light on What It Means to Be a Dancer in India Today. It is peaceful, profound, and thought-provoking; it will encourage artists of all stripes to have faith in their abilities and their work in order to make progress in their life. Every individual in the movie is portrayed with dignity and consideration for their unique cultural and economic backgrounds.”
Call Me Dancing won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF). Accepting the award, Shampaine said, “We want to thank everyone at BIFF where so many creative people gather to show their films… and we greatly appreciate the enthusiastic audience who came to see Call Me Dancer. It has been a five-year journey making this film and it is thrilling when it resonates so well on the big screen!”
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