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Sagi Sree Hari Varma | |
|---|---|
| Born | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Education | Rashtriya Indian Military College SJB Institute of Technology, Bengaluru Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) USC School of Cinematic Arts (summer programme) University of California, Los Angeles (Certificate in Journalism) |
| Occupations | Filmmaker, screenwriter |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Website | sagisreeharivarma |
Sagi Sree Hari Varma is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter based in India. In 2019, he became the only Indian national selected for the Academy Gold Rising programme, an initiative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).[1][2] His short film Signal (2025) was selected for screening at the 79th Cannes Film Festival's Marché du Film on 15 May 2026, and at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles on 9 June 2026, as part of the Gold Rising Programme's 10th Anniversary Opening Day.[3]
Early life and education
editVarma was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. He attended a private school in Visakhapatnam before completing his secondary education at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) in Dehradun.[3] He subsequently studied Computer Science Engineering at SJB Institute of Technology in Bengaluru, where he began making short films.[3] He later attended the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, a summer programme at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, and earned a Certificate in Journalism from the University of California, Los Angeles.[3][4]
In 2019, Varma became the only Indian national selected for the Academy Gold Rising programme.[1][2] Through the programme's Mentor-Protégé Initiative, he was mentored by Ted Melfi, the Oscar-nominated director of Hidden Figures (2016).[1][3]
Career
editEarly work (2016–2018)
editVarma began his directing career with documentary filmmaking. In 2016, he directed Heads and Tails, a documentary on animal welfare that was selected by more than 20 film festivals across Asia and Europe. In 2017, he directed Go Mordovia, a documentary filmed in Russia.[5] In 2018, he directed a documentary on female peacekeeping officers serving with the United Nations.[6]
Academy Gold Rising and Los Angeles
editFollowing his selection for the Academy Gold Rising programme in 2019, Varma directed the short film The Fool, shot on the stages of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. He also directed commercial content for the FIFA World Cup and the United Nations during this period.
He worked as a below-the-line crew member on commercial and television productions directed by Ted Melfi, David Fincher, David Shane, Jim Jenkins, and Trent O'Donnell. He contributed visual effects work to two Super Bowl commercials: Let's Grab a Beer and Paramount+.[7]
Signal (2025–present)
editIn 2025, Varma participated in Cinemadamare, a travelling international film laboratory based in Italy that brings together directors from more than 50 countries.[8][7] During the programme, he wrote and directed the short film Signal, a 2-minute-54-second science fiction horror film led by Swedish actor Olivia Hoy, shot in a single take on an iPhone in black and white.[3] The film, which Varma described as a "techno-horror theatrical experience", explores a world after the collapse of digital connectivity.[3] It was initially conceived as a proof-of-concept for a larger feature-length film.[3]
Signal won the Main Prize at multiple international festivals, with Varma stating the film had received awards across six continents.[3] Its North American premiere was held at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.[3] In India, it received a felicitation at the Palakollu International Short Film Festival by Andhra Pradesh Minister for Cinematography Kandula Durgesh.[3]
The film was selected for screening at the Marché du Film of the 79th Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2026, and at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles on 9 June 2026, as part of the Gold Rising Programme's 10th Anniversary Opening Day, where Varma was also scheduled to participate in a panel discussion alongside Ted Melfi.[3]
Varma is developing Signal into a feature-length film through his production company, Achilles' Heel Films.[3]
Filmography
editAs director
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Heads and Tails | Director | Selected by 20+ film festivals in Asia and Europe |
| 2017 | Go Mordovia | Director, cinematographer | Documentary; filmed in Russia[5] |
| 2018 | Women in UN Peacekeeping Forces | Director | Documentary for the United Nations |
| 2019 | The Fool | Director | Short film; shot at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank |
| 2019 | Why She?? | Director | |
| 2025 | Signal | Writer, director | Sci-fi horror short; shot in a single continuous take on iPhone in black and white; screened at Marché du Film, 79th Cannes Film Festival (2026); screened at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles (2026); awards across six continents[3] |
Awards and recognition
edit| Year | Award | Film | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Best International Short Film (Mini) | Signal | Won | SF3 SmartFone Flick Fest, Sydney |
| 2026 | Best Film | Signal | Won | Istanbul International Spring Film Festival |
| 2026 | Best Global Film | Signal | Won | Indian Panorama International Film Festival, Mumbai |
| 2026 | Main Prize | Signal | Won | Modern Black and White Film Festival, Argentina |
| 2026 | Official Selection | Signal | Nominated | Marché du Film, 79th Cannes Film Festival[3] |
| 2026 | Official Selection | Signal | Nominated | 33rd International Film Festival Beijing |
| 2026 | Official Selection | Signal | Nominated | Golden State Film Festival, Los Angeles |
References
edit- 1 2 3 Gopal, B. Madhu (9 September 2019). "Vizag youth selected for Academy Gold Program". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- 1 2 "After #OscarsSoWhite, Hollywood trainees see progress on diversity". Yahoo News. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Nicodemus, Paul (11 May 2026). "Vizag filmmaker's 'Signal' heads to Cannes and Academy". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "కలల దారిలో..చదువుల మెరికలు [Paving the Way for Dreams: Academic Excellence]". Eenadu (in Telugu).
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - 1 2 Gopal, Madhu (17 August 2017). "For Russia, a documentary with love". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ "మర్రిపాలెం బుల్లోడు: షార్ట్ఫిల్మ్స్ టు ఆస్కార్స్ గోల్డ్ఫెలోషిప్ [Marripalem Boy: From Short Films to Oscars Gold Fellowship]". Sakshi (in Telugu).
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - 1 2 "From Vizag to Venice: Filmmaker Sagi Sree Hari Varma to attend Cinemadamare in Italy". YoVizag. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vizag filmmaker Sagi Sree Hari Varma to participate in 'Cinemadamare' in Italy". The Hindu. 2025.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help)
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