Archive · 5 Jan 2026
Simran Sawhney Wins Best Cinematography for Tangled on 35mm
Simran Sawhney, a director of photography, won the Best Cinematography award for her short film Tangled at the Delhi Shorts International Film Festival.
The film was special because it was shot on 35mm film, which is not very common these days.
Simran wanted to show the quiet and personal moment of hair brushing, something many Indian families do.
The film was loved for its unique storytelling and the way the images told the story.
Kodak, a famous film company, even featured the film for how well it used celluloid to show the character's emotions.
People at the festival said the film was different and special, unlike anything they had seen before on celluloid.
Simran Sawhney won Best Cinematography at the Delhi Shorts International Film Festival for her short film Tangled, shot on 35mm celluloid.
Tangled stood out for its clarity of intention and the precision behind its visual choices, focusing on the intimate ritual of hair brushing in Indian culture.
Simran Sawhney is known for her visually rigorous and performance-centered approach to storytelling, with her work recognized at major international festivals.
The decision to shoot on 35mm film preserved texture and tone, especially in the intimate moments of the story, and was highlighted by Kodak.
Audiences and festival programmers responded positively to the film's unique storytelling and the way the images carried the story, breaking traditional rules.
- Who
- Simran Sawhney, Director of Photography
- What
- Won Best Cinematography for the short film Tangled
- When
- At the Delhi Shorts International Film Festival
- Where
- Delhi, India
- Why
- For her work on Tangled, which was shot on 35mm film and highlighted the intimacy and emotional weight of hair brushing in Indian culture
- Film
- Tangled
- Director of Photography
- Simran Sawhney
- Award
- Best Cinematography at Delhi Shorts International Film Festival
- Medium
- 35mm celluloid
- Festival Recognition
- Kodak featured the film for its use of celluloid