Sarthak Hegde
Directing
Biography
Sarthak Hegde Born in 2000, Mangalore, India Sarthak Hegde is a filmmaker and writer known for his hyper-stylized, audaciously provocative storytelling in Indian cinema. Sarthak explores complex human emotions and socio-political issues through surreal narratives and striking visuals. He gained international recognition with his critically acclaimed film SURA (2023), which explored themes of identity and dogmatism, premiered at Oscar-qualifying festivals like St. Louis and Rhode Island, and was nominated at the Critics’ Choice Awards. His latest film, Green Girl, delves into themes of inter-faith love, identity, and communal tensions, blending raw realism with dreamlike surrealism to create a hauntingly poetic narrative. Hegde’s bold narratives challenge societal constructs, crafting visually intricate and thematically daring works. He studied Fine Arts in Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles.
Known For
A once famous, obliviously religious Hindu Yakshagana artist loses the highly coveted role of a Hindu deity to a Catholic priest, forcing him to confront his alter ego and grapple with his dogmatic faith in a surreal and enigmatic world.
SURA
Amidst a volatile blend of religious strife, suppressed sexualities, and divine sermons in an Indian town, a teenage inter-faith couple—one of whom is innocently entangled in a fundamentalist group, dream an illusive American Dream.