Akhil, a young shoeshine boy, dreams of becoming a gourmet chef when he has a chance encounter with India's most popular TV cuisiner. Director Ritesh Batra's "The Lunchbox" will make its US Premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2014. It won the Grand Rail d'Or at Cannes 2013 and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for North America. Batra also won the Best Director prize at the Odessa International Film Festival.

Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge

"The Masterchef" a short film by Ritesh Batra

The Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge is asking filmmakers to create and submit short films that celebrate the ingenuity and imagination that citizens employ to overcome real life issues brought on by extreme poverty. The following five films were commissioned to launch an invitation to filmmakers everywhere to submit their work for review. They were produced with grants from the Sundance Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and are a great example of the type of work we are looking for. Five winning filmmakers will receive $10,000 in prize money and travel to see their work screened at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Users can submit their films through July 1, 2014. There’s no fee to apply; more information can be found at sundance.org/anotheryou

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Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge