Goan filmmaker wins awards for documentary on traditional goldsmiths
Prachi Shirodkar's low-budget Konkani film Bhaangar Kalakusar Karigiri has been screened at international film festivals.
Goan filmmaker Prachi Shirodkar has received the Special Jury Award in the Under 15 Minutes category at the 14th International Documentary Film Festival Noida (IDFFN). According to the Times of India, the award ceremony took place on November 3, 2026, at the Marwah Studio Complex in Film City, Noida.
The documentary, titled Bhaangar Kalakusar Karigiri, focuses on the traditional goldsmith community of Goa. Shirodkar, who was an architecture student in 2020, transitioned to storytelling during the pandemic lockdown. She produced the Konkani film with almost no budget and without prior professional camera experience.
The project began as a final-year mass communication assignment. Shirodkar directed, narrated, and handled cinematography, while her partner Mario Pimenta managed the editing. The film explores the intricate skills of gold jewellery-making, including techniques such as engraving names on ornaments using thin metal wire.
The documentary has been selected for various international platforms. It was featured at the Jackson Doc Fest in Tennessee, USA, and the International Folklore Film Festival in Kerala. It also received the International Cultural Journal Award in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.
Other accolades for the film include the Best Documentary award at the Miseentage Indian Film Awards 2025. In 2026, it won Best Documentary at the Amader International Short Film Festival and Best Student Documentary at the Goa International Film Competition.
Shirodkar, who received a Young Achievers Award from Rotary International, currently works as an assistant director in Mumbai.