The W.O.M.B Women Of My Billion Team
The incomparable producers of W.O.M.B Women Of My Billion, Apoorva Bakshi, Srishti Bakshi, will be joining us for the 2022 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne!
Srishti Bakshi
Srishti Bakshi is on a mission to understand and end gender-based violence in India. Deeply shocked by a rape case reported from India, Highway 91, Srishti decided not be a silent spectator and an armchair activist to the rising crime against women in her country. She left her thriving career in Hong Kong and started on the most unusual path. In September 2017, Srishti embarked on a 2300-mile on-foot journey across India sensitizing citizens to the gender-based violence and inequality in the country.
After meeting more than 100,000 women on her epic on-foot journey she identified a key issue at work in preventing women from escaping violence: inhibited mobility.
As a result, Srishti now works to address gender-based violence by increasing mobility options for women. She has co-founded MOWO Fleet, an initiative which trains and employs women as delivery drivers and taxi operators, providing them with the opportunity to earn both income and independence.
Bakshi was awarded the Commonwealth Points of Light award for India by Queen Elizabeth II and named UN Women's Empower Women Champion for Change, an award dedicated to empowering women to achieve their full economic potential. She holds a master's degree in business administration from The Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Apoorva Bakshi
Apoorva Bakshi is an International EMMY Award-winning producer, spearheading the production of most notably Sundance favorite & International EMMY Winner DELHI CRIME, National Award-winning films, SHUT UP SONA & LEECHES; Netflix Musical WHAT ARE THE ODDS?; and widely watched Facebook Original HOMESPUN. She serves as a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Golden Karavan, Awedacious Originals, and Project FUEL carving her niche as one of the youngest producers of prolific South Asian productions.
Her latest critically acclaimed award-winning documentary WOMB - WOMEN OF MY BILLION explores the social and political issues faced by women of today's India and the common reality of living in an indefatigable patriarchal society. MADINA, a co-production with Kazakhstan brings forth an authentic story told in an authentic voice ready to premiere across film festivals worldwide. With 19 projects in development; her production slate for 2022 includes a Malayalam language feature inspired from the life of transgender activist and educator Aneera Kabeer; WAKHRI (One of a Kind), a Pakistani Urdu language feature selected for Open Doors at Locarno in 2018, and Cinefondation's Atelier at Cannes 2019; an animation feature; the first season of a book adaptation; an environmental feature documentary and a NFLX Doc Series.
A fierce guardian of independent voices, Apoorva has successfully acquired and distributed over 40+ award-winning independents, notably the Cannes favorites, GANGS OF WASSEYPUR; Golden Globe shortlists FANDRY & SIDDHARTH; IDFA winner PLACEBO and Indian Selection for the Oscars VISARANAI among others. She has also worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment Networks Asia on large-scale format productions AMAZING RACE ASIA, CYRIL SIMPLY MAGIC & INDIA'S MINUTE TO WIN IT.
Having experienced the creative and business side of the entertainment industry, Apoorva has successfully navigated both and continues to find new ways to innovate and merge the two. A professional sharpshooter and formally trained Bharatnatyam dancer, Apoorva shuttles between SFO & Mumbai and loves to backpack the world while she is not up in the air.
