2 weeks ago
Sayani Gupta denies copyright claims as Aasmani pulled from festival
Sayani Gupta is an actress who made her very first short movie, called Aasmani.
It is a funny short movie about a woman, a car and getting older.
A film festival in New Zealand planned to show her movie.
But before that could happen, another filmmaker said she copied their idea.
Because of that, the festival took the movie out of its program.
Sayani says that is not fair and that the claim is wrong.
She says she didn't even know about the other filmmaker's unfinished project.
She explains that two movies can share big ideas, like a woman or a car, without copying each other.
She says the rules protect the way an idea is told, not the idea itself.
Sayani hopes people will hear her side and see that Aasmani is an original film.
Sayani Gupta's directorial debut short film Aasmani was withdrawn from the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ).
Gupta denied copyright infringement allegations, calling the development 'deeply unfair.'
The allegation was raised by a fellow FTII filmmaker over an unfinished documentary project Gupta says she was unaware of.
Gupta said she followed due process rather than debating publicly, noting silence allowed 'noise' to overshadow the truth.
She argued that copyright protects the expression of an idea, not every shared concept, and that the claimant had not watched her film.
- Who
- Actress Sayani Gupta, whose directorial debut short film Aasmani was withdrawn from the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ) after a copyright allegation raised by a fellow FTII filmmaker.
- What
- Aasmani, Gupta's short-fiction comedy marking her directorial debut, was pulled from TIFFNZ following copyright infringement allegations, which Gupta denies as 'deeply unfair.'
- Where
- New Zealand — the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ) withdrew the film's invitation; Gupta commented via Hollywood Reporter India.
- When
- Not specified in the articles.
- Why
- A fellow FTII filmmaker raised a copyright grievance over an unfinished documentary project; Gupta says the film is original and the allegation is based on assumptions.
Copyright claimant's perspective
Sayani Gupta's defense
Copyright allegation over Aasmani
Copyright claimant's perspective
A fellow FTII filmmaker raised a copyright grievance, claiming the film relates to their unfinished documentary project.
Sayani Gupta's defense
Gupta says Aasmani is original, was developed over years, and that she had no knowledge of the unfinished project; she calls the allegation 'misleading' and 'deeply unfair.'
Key facts
- Person
- Sayani Gupta (actress and first-time director)
- Film
- Aasmani (short-fiction comedy, directorial debut)
- Festival
- Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ)
- Development
- Invitation to screen the film withdrawn
- Allegation
- Copyright infringement raised by a fellow FTII filmmaker
- Gupta's response
- Denies allegations; calls them 'misleading' and 'deeply unfair'
- Gupta's argument
- Copyright protects expression, not every shared idea or theme
- Genre
- Short-fiction comedy
Quotes
Sayani Gupta
Indian actress and director
“There is a difference between an allegation and a finding. Aasmani came from its own world, its own journey. And without any knowledge of any other film in development. To see that distinction collapse into a public narrative of ‘copyright infringement’ is not only misleading, it is deeply unfair to the film and to everyone who has tirelessly worked on it. What has been troubling to watch is this become a copyright issue when it absolutely isn’t one.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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