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Newsmakers of the Week FEBRUARY 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 30

TIRLOK MALIK SUNIL AMRITH

Filmmaker Spotlights Power of Historian appointed as Director

Universal Content at SIFFCY of MacMillan Center

unil Amrith, a historian who
explores the intersection of hu-
Sman migration and global en-
vironmental history with a focus on
South and Southeast Asia, has been
appointed the Henry R. Luce Direc-
tor of the Whitney and Betty Mac-
Millan Center for International and
Area Studies at Yale, Provost Scott
Strobel announced on Wednesday.
He will begin his new post on March 1.
Amrith described the opportuni-
ty to serve as director of the MacMil-
lan Center an “honor and a privilege.”
“The center was a big part of
what brought me to Yale, and I have
never ceased to be amazed by the breadth and depth of excellent scholarship
that it nourishes,” Amrith said. “I look forward to working with the center’s
outstanding staff and faculty to carry forward its mission of being a hub for
international scholarship serving all of Yale, infusing global perspectives into
everything we do on campus and out in the world.”
Amrith is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History in Yale’s
Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and professor at the Yale School of the
Environment.
Since 2020, he has served as chair of the MacMillan Center’s Council on
South Asian Studies, leading strategic planning, programming, and funding
mmy-nominated Indian-American filmmaker Tirlok Malik was among for faculty and student research. In that role, Amrith has built on the council’s
the distinguished panelists at the Smile International Film Festival for reputation as a globally recognized center for the study of South Asia, fos-
EChildren & Youth (SIFFCY) 2025, an initiative of Smile Foundation, in tering its role as a home for conversations on a range of topics from classical
partnership with the European Union. Malik participated in a high-profile dis- literature to climate to sustainability.
cussion titled “The Cinematic Bridges: Fostering India-Global Collaboration He has also advised the center as a member of the center’s Review Com-
and Opportunities in Cinema”, held at Siri Fort Auditorium. Jitendra Mishra, mittee on Global Programs and offered key insights during the search for the
Festival Director of SIFFCY, is committed to forging strong and long-lasting center’s deputy director.
global collaborations. “Since arriving at Yale, Professor Amrith has contributed important per-
The panel brought together some of the most influential voices in glob- spectives and guidance on strategic priorities and policy issues,” said Strobel.
al cinema and art, including Andrea Anastasio, Director, Italian Embassy Created in the 1960s, when it was known as the Concilium on Internation-
Cultural Centre, Stephan Ottenbruch, Festival Director, IndoGerman Film al and Area Studies, the MacMillan Center is a resource for all members of
Week; Ketki Parikh, Co-Founder, Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSFF); the Yale academic community for international studies.
and Lichtkoppler Elisabeth, Director, Vienna International Children’s Film
Festival. The discussion was moderated by Murtaza Ali Khan, a renowned To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
Indian film critic and journalist. our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
Speaking on the evolving landscape of global cinema and the role of In-
dia in fostering cross-border collaborations, Tirlok Malik emphasized the sig-
nificance of high-quality, universal content in transcending cultural and geo-
graphical boundaries. Reflecting on his own journey in cinema, Malik said,
“When I started out in the 1990s with ‘Lonely in America,’ the landscape
of cinema was very different. Today, digital platforms and streaming services
have democratized the industry, offering immense opportunities for storytell-
ers to connect with audiences worldwide.”
He further stressed the importance of content-driven storytelling in an
era dominated by digital consumption. “The focus should always be on story-
telling that resonates with a global audience. Technology has changed, distri-
bution has changed, but emotions remain the same. A good story, told well,
will always find its audience,” he remarked.
The panelists discussed the evolving nature of international co-produc-
tions, highlighting how India’s diverse cinematic heritage and expanding mar-
ket make it an attractive hub for filmmakers worldwide. Stephan Ottenbruch
noted the growing presence of Indian films in European film festivals, stating,
“India’s storytelling tradition is unique, and there is an increasing appetite for
its narratives across international platforms.”

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