Meera Darji

Biography

I am a Lecturer in BA Media Production and a filmmaker and visual artist. My practice-based research focuses on investigating cinema verité techniques to present a more inclusive, and therefore, more ‘authentic’ voice in documentary practice. I experiment with ethno-sensory practice combined with immersive technologies to tell real stories of marginalised communities in India. I would like my practice to extend by applying these methods and placing these films in sensorial environments. 

Academic expertise

I have over 10 years’ experience working as a Lecturer in Media Production courses and various institutions. This includes module development and leading. I have practice-based experience with my own productions and have carried out fieldwork. I am a cinematographer and editor and relay my practice-skills to the classroom.

My independent films have been awarded at international film festivals and experimental films have been presented at various exhibitions. These include Transindia: The story of India’s Hijras won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Factual in the Midlands, UK. I also won Best Short Documentary at the Kashish Mumbai LGBT Festival in India and I was also nominated for the Sky Atlantic Grierson Award. I am an alumni of the Grierson DocLab in association with Bertha DocHouse as well as a One World Media fellow.   

Current projects

My current practice-based output that I am working on is Majoor 9195, a portrait on Indian female construction workers in India. This will be my first feature documentary.

Studying your subject 

‘Making a film isn't finding the answer to a question; it's trying to capture life as it is.’ This quote from Documentarian Albert Maysles has stayed with me since and I am keen to investigate the concept of truth in documentary cinema. There is so much exciting new technology, spaces and places that I would like to explore within my practice and teaching.