Ladakh Filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet Wins Gold at 53rd Student Academy Awards
Filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet from Ladakh has brought international recognition to Indian cinema after winning the Gold Award at the 53rd Student Academy Awards for his film The Dragon Letter.
The award was presented at a ceremony held on September 14 during the Toronto International Film Festival. This year, the Student Academy Awards received 2,972 submissions from students representing 894 colleges and universities worldwide.
Jigmet had announced the achievement on Instagram in August, describing the film’s journey from his remote village of Mulbekh in the Indian Himalayas to the Academy as “unreal”.
He dedicated the award to his family, friends, cast and crew, as well as ESCAC, Pixel Challenger Films and others who supported the project.
“Where we come from does not limit how far our stories can travel,” Jigmet wrote.
The ceremony featured remarks from Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Directors Branch Governor and Academy Museum Trustee Jason Reitman, and Academy Foundation Board President Kim Taylor-Coleman. Actors Gemma Chan and Gael García Bernal, along with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus, served as presenters.
The winning films will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Documentary Short Film categories at the 99th Academy Awards.
Jigmet holds a master’s degree in film directing from ESCAC in Barcelona and is the founder of Pixel Challenger Films, a Ladakh-based production house specialising in cinema-grade productions.
