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::SHARAT RAJU: FILMMAKER::
SHARAT K. RAJU
Shorter Biography
A keen eye for drama and a reputation for telling stories with heart, intelligence, and wit, Sharat Raju has quickly become recognized as a distinctly unique voice on the American filmmaking scene. His work as a visual storyteller has earned more than twenty international awards and continues to entertain audiences throughout the world.
Sharats journey as a filmmaker began on the outskirts of Chicago, the first American-born son to Indian parents. A descendant of poets and artists, he was raised in a family and culture with a rich tradition of storytelling. Sharat wrote fiction at an early age which continued at the University of Michigan. He wrote constantly fiction and non-fiction, earning two national awards for his work as a journalist at The Michigan Daily and earning a degree in English.
After a brief stint as a freelance Chicago sports reporter, Sharat moved to Los Angeles and worked for acclaimed casting director Mali Finn. With Mali, Sharat cut his teeth in the industry by learning performance and directing from top filmmakers up close on The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Phone Booth, 8 Mile, High Crimes, K-19: The Widowmaker and Gideons Crossing.
Acceptance into the American Film Institutes renowned Directing program in 2001 honed his skills as a visual storyteller and director. At AFI, Sharat directed six short film projects in two years, earned an MFA and received the highest honors conferred upon its graduates the Richard P Rogers Award and the Franklin J Schaffner Award after creating a legendary Masters Thesis film.
Sharats American Made quickly became a phenomenon. The film earned seventeen awards as it tore through the international film festival circuit in 2004, and is currently being broadcast on PBSs Emmy Award-winning program Independent Lens through 2010. More than two million people have seen the short film worldwide.
American Made is still being studied at film schools for its artistic merit, junior high and high schools for its subject matter, and even in police departments and corporations for employee sensitivity training and cultural outreach.
Sharat followed up his thesis short by directing and producing a grassroots independent film that has similarly made its mark around the world Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath. Featured on CNN, NPR, BBC and many other outlets, Divided We Fall is the first documentary to chronicle the rise in hate-crimes and race-related abuse in the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001.
Demand for the film sparked national interest and sent him on a packed screening and speaking tour. Colleges and universities showcased Divided We Fall as a hopeful and positive exploration to understand Americas racial and religious diversity.
In 2007 and 2008, Sharat earned a spot in ABC Networks prestigious Directing Fellowship where he spent time learning to direct episodic television by shadowing on the sets of Desperate Housewives, Cavemen, October Road, Boston Legal, Greek, and Samantha Who.
Along the way, Sharat has directed promotional work for social justice organizations as well as music videos and shorts. His scripts The Field on the Corner and Sacred Grounds are in development with producers in Los Angeles.
Sharat shoots photography, plays basketball, and fools around with an Avid Media Composer from his home in Venice, California. He is represented by Gordon Hvolka at Kaplan Stahler Gumer Braun Agency.
Sharatraju.com ~
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