Santosh Ram

Santosh Ram is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. He is widely known for his short films Vartul (2009), Galli (2015) and Prashna (2020), which have been awarded and screened at various National and international film festivals around the world. His debut short film Vartul which was screened at over 56 film National and international film festivals, winning thirteen awards. Prashna (Question) 2020 was shortlisted for Filmfare Short Film Awards 2020. Santosh Ram Won The Iris Award for Special Mention( Writing ) for Prashna at UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival 2021 in Florence, Italy.

Early life and background
Ram was born in Dongershelki, District Latur, Maharashtra. Ram grew up in a middle-class family in Udgir, Maharashtra, India. Ram was influenced by the childhood he spent in the Marathwada region.

Career
Santosh began his filmmaking career by writing and directing shorts in 2009. His debut Marathi language short film Vartul he shot on 35mm film. Vartul (2009) screened at over 56 national and international film festivals including 11th Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema 2009, New Delhi, 3rd International Documentary and Short Film Festival Of Kerala, 2010, India, Third Eye 8th Asian Film Festival  2009, Mumbai, and 17th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2013 (Canada), winning thirteen awards. His second short film Galli (2015) screened in 13 National and international film festivals. His latest film Prashna ( 2020) is shortlisted for Filmfare Short Film Awards 2020 and officially selected for 36 National and international film festivals  all over the world, winning seventeen awards.

Awards and recognition
Vartul 2009


 * Best Film - 4th International Short Film Festival of India 2010, Chennai.
 * Best Film - 2nd International Film Festival Nagpur 2011
 * Best Director - Pune Short Film Festival 2011, Pune
 * Best Film - 6th Goa Marathi Film Festival 2013, Goa
 * Best Children Film - Malabar Short Film Festival 2013
 * Appreciation Award for Excellence in Film making- Kanyakumari International Film Festival 2013,Kanyakumari
 * Jury Special Mention -Navi Mumbai International Film Festival 2014, Navi Mumbai
 * Best Film - Barshi Short Film Festival 2014
 * Best Film - 1st Maharashtra Short Film Festival 2014
 * Nominated - Maharashtra Times Awards 2010

Prashna 2020
 * The Iris Award Special Mention(Writing) at UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival 2021 Florence, Italy.
 * Nomination - Best Short Film - Filmfare Awards Mumbai 2020
 * Best Short Film - 3rd Vintage International Film Festival,Kolhapur 2020
 * Best Short Film - 4th Anna Bhau Sathe International Film Festival,Pune 2021
 * Best Social Short Film - Bettiah International Film Festival,2020
 * Best Short Film Special Honourable Mention - Sprouting Seed International Short Film Festival,2020
 * Best Director - 4th Anna Bhau Sathe International Film Festival, Pune 2021
 * Best Screenplay - 4th Anna Bhau Sathe International Film Festival, Pune 2021
 * Best Short Fiction Film Special Mention - 14th SiGNS Film Festival, 2021
 * Best Short Film - 6th Bengal International Short Film Festival,Kolkata 2021
 * Special Jury Mention Award - 9th Smita Patil Documentary and Short Film Festival, Pune.
 * Best Story - Ma Ta Short Film Festival 2022, Mumbai
 * Diploma of the international competition of short feature films "For the development of education in remote areas"at 9th Zero Plus Film Festival Tyumen, Russia