Introducing
Kartiki Gonsalves
"The Great Elephant Migration has a special meaning for me, as each member of the 100 strong herd comes from the exact same part of the world I grew up in and are relatives of Raghu, the orphaned baby elephant made famous in my film The Elephant Whisperers. Incredibly, The Elephant Whisperers was the first Indian film to win an Academy Award! The Oscar meant so much as it amplified a message the world is curious about; the knowledge and persepctives of indigenous communities in relation to nature. The moment is now to tell these stories. This journey is special because it speaks to the sacred bond between us and our natural world. For the respect of indigenous communities, For respect towards other living beings. And finally, for coexistence."
Kartiki Gonsalves is an Indian director, documentary film-maker. The first Indian Film Director to have ever won an Academy Award in the history of India. She is one of the first women chosen as a Sony Alpha Artisan of Imagery in India. She is also associated with brands like Peak Design, Swarovski Optik Nature Explorer 2021, and photojournalist currently based out of the Nilgiri mountains in the Western Ghats of Southern India. Gonsalves is the founder of Earth Spectrum, an organisation founded in 2018 which uses the power of storytelling to raise awareness about biodiversity and cultural life.
Kartiki infuses her passion for adventure to bring new perspectives and a deeper public understanding to the environmental and humanitarian issues that define our times. She strives to document our natural world and to help others better understand the profound connection that we share with it. On the cultural side, she focuses on capturing the diversity of cultures and tribes across the world where she seeks to give a platform to women and indigenous tribes, especially those working to conserve nature. Kartiki focuses on solutions and highlight projects that show success stories where conservation is working to give hope.
