Sci560 FILM FESTIVAL

Explore Bengaluru’s scientific, cultural, and urban heritage through the lens of cinema at the Sci560 Film Festival, organised in collaboration with Science Gallery Bengaluru!

Our annual film festival brings together emerging young filmmakers to showcase work that reflects the year’s exhibition theme. A key highlight of the festival is an SGB-commissioned film, created by a young adult over the course of the year with dedicated mentorship.

This two-day event features a lineup of thought-provoking films, including Down the Drain by Nitya Misra and In Search of Gold by Basav Biradar, each followed by insightful discussions with the filmmakers and experts. The festival highlights stories of the city, its environmental challenges, and its historical legacy, offering a unique perspective on Bengaluru’s multifaceted identity.

Each day concluded with engaging activities, including a Bengaluru-themed quiz and a virtual scavenger hunt to test the visitors’ curiosity and knowledge. This overview of our Sci560 Film Festival invites you to take a journey through this rich history, exploring not only Bengaluru’s scientific legacy but also the diverse urban narratives that have shaped its unique identity.

MENTOR

Samreen Farooqui

Filmmaker

Samreen Farooqui is a filmmaker, producer, and commissioning editor from India with over 20 years of experience in non-fiction media, research, and narratives. Her work traces an India-in-transition through stories of changing socio-political realities, wildlife and environment, urban living and technology. Her films have been showcased at prestigious film circuits and channels like the Jackson Wild Film Festival, International Film Festival of Rotterdam, Film South Asia, Channel 4, UK and MUBI.

Over the course of her career, Samreen has worked with environment and conservation media organisations that have played an instrumental role in shaping both research and environmental storytelling in India. She co-founded Hit and Run Films, an independent factual films company, which have travelled across the world.

Since 2019, she heads films at Roundglass Sustain, a comprehensive repository of India’s wildlife, environmental realities, and community-held knowledge. She has led the production and commissioning of over 200 original short films, working closely with local filmmakers from communities on the frontlines of environmental change and conversation action. These films serve as powerful tools for education, advocacy, and cultural shifts in support of ecological awareness and action.

PARTNER