Man of the Forest
Chicago, Illinois | Film Short
Family, Animation
Man of the Forest blends live action and animation to unite South Asian languages in a film that champions the weird and redefines strength through a boy’s magical journey. This fable proves connection eclipses borders – and even species! Help us bring our film to life and join our collective howl.
Man of the Forest
Chicago, Illinois | Film Short
Family, Animation
1 Campaigns | Illinois, United States
88 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$22,686
Goal: $20,000 for production phase 2
Man of the Forest blends live action and animation to unite South Asian languages in a film that champions the weird and redefines strength through a boy’s magical journey. This fable proves connection eclipses borders – and even species! Help us bring our film to life and join our collective howl.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
WITH ONE WEEK LEFT, WE ARE FULLY FUNDED AND ARE AT 25% TOWARDS OUR STRETCH GOAL of $30,000! This stretch goal will make it possible to put our best foot forward in sharing the film with the world once it’s done. With it, we’d be able to cover film festival submission fees (which average around $50/festival and we plan to apply to around 100 or so of those); travel costs to those festivals; setting up non-festival screenings across the country; marketing costs including our poster design, website, and more; and the behind the scenes work that will go into securing our final distribution for the film.
Sent into the wilderness by his father to learn how to be a man, a young boy journeys through a magical forest where animals – each speaking a different Indian language – help him stumble toward growing up.
I’m Sean Sankalp Raju. I’m the writer/director of Man of the Forest. Thank you for considering supporting our film.
I’ll be frank: this is a weird movie. In an age of rapid technological progress, this is a quiet fable centered around the timeless human theme of growing up. In an age of hyperrealistic AI generated videos, we’re blending hand-drawn 2D animation with live action. In an age of rising nationalism, our film features unexpected characters speaking in seven different languages.
This is a weird movie – and I think that’s our greatest strength. We aren't building a product designed by an algorithm to maximize ad revenue; we are making a film that comes from a deeply personal perspective.
I’m working with an extraordinary group of artists who have a proven track record of turning “weird” ideas into something meaningful. Our last short film (a black-and-white, Urdu-language adaptation of an Akbar and Birbal fable filmed in Chicago) played at Oscar-qualifying festivals and screened at major festivals in India and the United States (if you haven’t had a chance yet, check it out here)
If you choose to support us financially, it means you’re helping tell a story that leads with unexpected characters and is told in a way that otherwise couldn’t be seen. You’re helping real people make meaningful work. It means everything to us.
If you’re hard up on cash and aren’t sure you can pay your bills this month PLEASE do not donate. Our fundraising effort is part of a bigger rally, so you can still support us by following this page! That’s free.
Thank you for reading (you could’ve been on YouTube Shorts instead)
Thank you for caring (it’s always easier not to, especially these days)
And thank you for even considering being part of this strange, heartfelt little movie.
Each animal speaks in a different South Asian language, with English captions providing translation. The film weaves together Bengali, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, and Telegu, creating a rich tapestry of voices within the forest.
In the style of John Klassen and Henri Rousseau’s illustrations, we’re using grainy textures and an earthy palette to evoke a sense of wonder from the boy’s perspective. It’s so beautiful how a wide-eyed stare from a stylized character can convey more emotional weight than the most complex CGI.
I’m deeply inspired by the golden-hour nostalgia found in films like Moonrise Kingdom and O Brother Where Art Thou. There is a beauty in this desaturated, sepia-drenched world that will contrast sharply with the bolder colors of the animation. It creates a sense of timeless – as though we are peering into a preserved memory.
Keep, in mind – we're already halfway through production! Check out some of the BTS images.
With most of production wrapped, your funding will help us with the following:
- The "Voices": Script translation, casting voice actors, and recording for our multilingual cast.
- The "Magic": Hand-drawn animation and post-production.
- The "Soul": Original music composition and professional sound design.
- The "World": Marketing and festival submissions.
Other than supporting financially, you can also help play a vital role in bringing Man of the Forest to life:
- Amplify our Voice: Follow this campaign and share it with your circle to help us reach new audiences.
- Stay Connected: Follow our journey on Instagram @manoftheforest_film
- Create New Connections: Is there someone or an organization you think would love to get involved? Send them our way at [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera & Lighting Equipment
Costs $5,000
Because we're filming in a forest, we need portable camera and lighting equipment.
Paying the Crew
Costs $5,000
Everyone in production is going to be paid! Your contribution will make sure that every artist in this project is paid.
Production Design + Props + Costume
Costs $5,000
We're building a tent and designing props specifically for this film.
Post-Production
Costs $5,000
Once the film is shot, there's still needing to be done! Editing, music composition, post-audio, and color grading to name a few.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meet (some) of our team!
Born in India and based in Chicago, Sean Sankalp Raju is a filmmaker who weaves universal themes through a distinctly Indian lens. His latest film, “Nazar”, has screened at festivals worldwide and earned recognition at San Francisco’s Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, and Jaipur International Film Festival.
His earlier short, “A Nickname”, also played at OSCARS qualifying festivals and was featured on Tasveer TV and Alaskan Airlines’ in-flight entertainment. Before filmmaking, Sean earned his BA in Physics from the University of Chicago. He worked as a video producer for Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Daniel Bliss, and since, he has brought both technical curiosity and poetic vision to his storytelling and filmmaking.
Devon Gulati is a multifaceted indie producer based in Los Angeles. He studied cinematography at Columbia College before shifting into technical management and earning his M.B.A. His previous collaboration with the team behind “Nazar”, a Hindi black-and-white folktale, gained international recognition and high praise by Lily Wachowski (The Matrix, Cloud Atlas) for its storytelling.
With credits spanning features, shorts, TV pilots, and music videos, he brings a mix of Midwestern sensibility and Southern grit to every project. His films have screened internationally and are featured across platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Along with “Man of the Forest”, Devon is currently developing Cinghiale, a $5M thriller set in Tuscany.
Max Asaf is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer. His recent short, “Bad Hostage”, premiered at the 2024 Sheffield Doc Fest and went on to win multiple Jury Awards, and was short-listed for the 2026 Academy Awards.
Max’s career has spanned both producing and fundraising. He served as the development coordinator at the acclaimed Kartemquin Films where he helped raise over $5 million for documentaries like Minding the Gap and America to Me. He’s a proud member of the Documentary Producer’s Alliance and continues to collaborate with filmmakers across fiction and nonfiction projects.
Currently, he is in early post-production on his future directorial debut, Within the Box, while also helping bring “Man of the Forest” from script to screen.
Chicago-based photographer and cinematographer Carlos Reyes is a Mexican-born, self-taught artist who recently left his corporate career to pursue his creative passion full-time. Over the last twelve years, he has developed a signature style defined by distinct color palettes designed to evoke a sense of dreaming and wonderment.
Carlos produces breathtaking imagery across commercial, narrative, and film mediums. Deeply committed to the craft of still photography, he also specializes in medium format photography, bringing a rich, tactile quality to his visual storytelling. His work consistently seeks to capture immersive moments that resonate deeply with every viewer.
Originally from Chicago, Rewa Shani is a senior at SCAD pursuing a BFA in Production Design with a minor in Sculpture. She began her creative journey in middle school theatre, working in stage management and set design and has since expanded her practice into film.
She has worked with Plague Productions on large-scale projects for Six Flags and the Ghost Pirates, specializing in props, fabrication, and painting. Outside of design, Rewa draws from the rhythm and discipline of Kathak dance, blending inspiration from both music and nature to shape the world of Man of the Forest.
Born in Cambridge and raised in Boston, Veronica Choulga is a 2D animator whose style is influenced by surrealism, Soviet cartoons, and Old Hollywood. She has directed and produced five short animated films and draws on her background in traditional art, anatomy, and oil painting to bring dreamlike depth to her work.
Veronica graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a triple major in Economics, Art History, and Cinema & Media Studies. Outside of animation, Veronica is classically trained in ballet. She has danced onstage with Boston Ballet, toured Europe as a concert pianist, and loves swing dancing in her free time. For Man of the Forest, Veronica lends her distinct voice to expanding the film’s fable-like world through animation.
Alexis Lopez is a freelance editor based in Chicago, with a passion for sharing diverse voices focused on stories about childhood and the process of growing up intermixed with cultural experiences.
Originally from India, now based in Chicago, Sonali brings a multidisciplinary background in film, design, and performance to “Man of the Forest”. Deeply influenced by traditional Indian art forms, her work blends storytelling, culture, and emotion.
In addition to her film work, Sonali is an Indian classical dancer and the founder of Kandisa Performing Arts Studio, where she leads semi-classical dance workshops that merge movement, rhythm, and visual artistry. After contributing to the art department for Sean’s previous film “Nazar”, Sonali continues her collaboration with the team, now stepping into a producing role to help shape the world of “Man of the Forest”.
Nick Gallagher believes his role as composer is to understand and amplify the emotional intent of the project. His stylistic influences are wide-ranging from jazz to electronic and beyond. He is based in Chicago, IL.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
WITH ONE WEEK LEFT, WE ARE FULLY FUNDED AND ARE AT 25% TOWARDS OUR STRETCH GOAL of $30,000! This stretch goal will make it possible to put our best foot forward in sharing the film with the world once it’s done. With it, we’d be able to cover film festival submission fees (which average around $50/festival and we plan to apply to around 100 or so of those); travel costs to those festivals; setting up non-festival screenings across the country; marketing costs including our poster design, website, and more; and the behind the scenes work that will go into securing our final distribution for the film.
Sent into the wilderness by his father to learn how to be a man, a young boy journeys through a magical forest where animals – each speaking a different Indian language – help him stumble toward growing up.
I’m Sean Sankalp Raju. I’m the writer/director of Man of the Forest. Thank you for considering supporting our film.
I’ll be frank: this is a weird movie. In an age of rapid technological progress, this is a quiet fable centered around the timeless human theme of growing up. In an age of hyperrealistic AI generated videos, we’re blending hand-drawn 2D animation with live action. In an age of rising nationalism, our film features unexpected characters speaking in seven different languages.
This is a weird movie – and I think that’s our greatest strength. We aren't building a product designed by an algorithm to maximize ad revenue; we are making a film that comes from a deeply personal perspective.
I’m working with an extraordinary group of artists who have a proven track record of turning “weird” ideas into something meaningful. Our last short film (a black-and-white, Urdu-language adaptation of an Akbar and Birbal fable filmed in Chicago) played at Oscar-qualifying festivals and screened at major festivals in India and the United States (if you haven’t had a chance yet, check it out here)
If you choose to support us financially, it means you’re helping tell a story that leads with unexpected characters and is told in a way that otherwise couldn’t be seen. You’re helping real people make meaningful work. It means everything to us.
If you’re hard up on cash and aren’t sure you can pay your bills this month PLEASE do not donate. Our fundraising effort is part of a bigger rally, so you can still support us by following this page! That’s free.
Thank you for reading (you could’ve been on YouTube Shorts instead)
Thank you for caring (it’s always easier not to, especially these days)
And thank you for even considering being part of this strange, heartfelt little movie.
Each animal speaks in a different South Asian language, with English captions providing translation. The film weaves together Bengali, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, and Telegu, creating a rich tapestry of voices within the forest.
In the style of John Klassen and Henri Rousseau’s illustrations, we’re using grainy textures and an earthy palette to evoke a sense of wonder from the boy’s perspective. It’s so beautiful how a wide-eyed stare from a stylized character can convey more emotional weight than the most complex CGI.
I’m deeply inspired by the golden-hour nostalgia found in films like Moonrise Kingdom and O Brother Where Art Thou. There is a beauty in this desaturated, sepia-drenched world that will contrast sharply with the bolder colors of the animation. It creates a sense of timeless – as though we are peering into a preserved memory.
Keep, in mind – we're already halfway through production! Check out some of the BTS images.
With most of production wrapped, your funding will help us with the following:
- The "Voices": Script translation, casting voice actors, and recording for our multilingual cast.
- The "Magic": Hand-drawn animation and post-production.
- The "Soul": Original music composition and professional sound design.
- The "World": Marketing and festival submissions.
Other than supporting financially, you can also help play a vital role in bringing Man of the Forest to life:
- Amplify our Voice: Follow this campaign and share it with your circle to help us reach new audiences.
- Stay Connected: Follow our journey on Instagram @manoftheforest_film
- Create New Connections: Is there someone or an organization you think would love to get involved? Send them our way at [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Camera & Lighting Equipment
Costs $5,000
Because we're filming in a forest, we need portable camera and lighting equipment.
Paying the Crew
Costs $5,000
Everyone in production is going to be paid! Your contribution will make sure that every artist in this project is paid.
Production Design + Props + Costume
Costs $5,000
We're building a tent and designing props specifically for this film.
Post-Production
Costs $5,000
Once the film is shot, there's still needing to be done! Editing, music composition, post-audio, and color grading to name a few.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Meet (some) of our team!
Born in India and based in Chicago, Sean Sankalp Raju is a filmmaker who weaves universal themes through a distinctly Indian lens. His latest film, “Nazar”, has screened at festivals worldwide and earned recognition at San Francisco’s Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, and Jaipur International Film Festival.
His earlier short, “A Nickname”, also played at OSCARS qualifying festivals and was featured on Tasveer TV and Alaskan Airlines’ in-flight entertainment. Before filmmaking, Sean earned his BA in Physics from the University of Chicago. He worked as a video producer for Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Daniel Bliss, and since, he has brought both technical curiosity and poetic vision to his storytelling and filmmaking.
Devon Gulati is a multifaceted indie producer based in Los Angeles. He studied cinematography at Columbia College before shifting into technical management and earning his M.B.A. His previous collaboration with the team behind “Nazar”, a Hindi black-and-white folktale, gained international recognition and high praise by Lily Wachowski (The Matrix, Cloud Atlas) for its storytelling.
With credits spanning features, shorts, TV pilots, and music videos, he brings a mix of Midwestern sensibility and Southern grit to every project. His films have screened internationally and are featured across platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Along with “Man of the Forest”, Devon is currently developing Cinghiale, a $5M thriller set in Tuscany.
Max Asaf is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer. His recent short, “Bad Hostage”, premiered at the 2024 Sheffield Doc Fest and went on to win multiple Jury Awards, and was short-listed for the 2026 Academy Awards.
Max’s career has spanned both producing and fundraising. He served as the development coordinator at the acclaimed Kartemquin Films where he helped raise over $5 million for documentaries like Minding the Gap and America to Me. He’s a proud member of the Documentary Producer’s Alliance and continues to collaborate with filmmakers across fiction and nonfiction projects.
Currently, he is in early post-production on his future directorial debut, Within the Box, while also helping bring “Man of the Forest” from script to screen.
Chicago-based photographer and cinematographer Carlos Reyes is a Mexican-born, self-taught artist who recently left his corporate career to pursue his creative passion full-time. Over the last twelve years, he has developed a signature style defined by distinct color palettes designed to evoke a sense of dreaming and wonderment.
Carlos produces breathtaking imagery across commercial, narrative, and film mediums. Deeply committed to the craft of still photography, he also specializes in medium format photography, bringing a rich, tactile quality to his visual storytelling. His work consistently seeks to capture immersive moments that resonate deeply with every viewer.
Originally from Chicago, Rewa Shani is a senior at SCAD pursuing a BFA in Production Design with a minor in Sculpture. She began her creative journey in middle school theatre, working in stage management and set design and has since expanded her practice into film.
She has worked with Plague Productions on large-scale projects for Six Flags and the Ghost Pirates, specializing in props, fabrication, and painting. Outside of design, Rewa draws from the rhythm and discipline of Kathak dance, blending inspiration from both music and nature to shape the world of Man of the Forest.
Born in Cambridge and raised in Boston, Veronica Choulga is a 2D animator whose style is influenced by surrealism, Soviet cartoons, and Old Hollywood. She has directed and produced five short animated films and draws on her background in traditional art, anatomy, and oil painting to bring dreamlike depth to her work.
Veronica graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a triple major in Economics, Art History, and Cinema & Media Studies. Outside of animation, Veronica is classically trained in ballet. She has danced onstage with Boston Ballet, toured Europe as a concert pianist, and loves swing dancing in her free time. For Man of the Forest, Veronica lends her distinct voice to expanding the film’s fable-like world through animation.
Alexis Lopez is a freelance editor based in Chicago, with a passion for sharing diverse voices focused on stories about childhood and the process of growing up intermixed with cultural experiences.
Originally from India, now based in Chicago, Sonali brings a multidisciplinary background in film, design, and performance to “Man of the Forest”. Deeply influenced by traditional Indian art forms, her work blends storytelling, culture, and emotion.
In addition to her film work, Sonali is an Indian classical dancer and the founder of Kandisa Performing Arts Studio, where she leads semi-classical dance workshops that merge movement, rhythm, and visual artistry. After contributing to the art department for Sean’s previous film “Nazar”, Sonali continues her collaboration with the team, now stepping into a producing role to help shape the world of “Man of the Forest”.
Nick Gallagher believes his role as composer is to understand and amplify the emotional intent of the project. His stylistic influences are wide-ranging from jazz to electronic and beyond. He is based in Chicago, IL.