ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
Using a diminishing bird habitat as a focal point, SEARCHING FOR SPARROWS documents the efforts of four citizens working in diverse fields in current-day Hyderabad, India, who are engaged in trying to reverse the impact of rapid urbanization on the environment.
SYNOPSIS
SEARCHING FOR SPARROWS follows four individuals who are citizens working to improve social and ecological conditions in their hometown of Hyderabad, India, a city undergoing rapid urbanization. While development is impossible to stop, this film calls attention to the personal responsibility of individuals to stay grounded in sustainable practices.
Anant is a sociologist who runs Hyderabad Urban Labs, a group that shares knowledge related to issues that arise with urban living. He notes how changes in industry, infrastructure, economics, and the resulting way of life in Hyderabad reflect broader changes in India and the world.
Arun takes viewers on treks into new territories, calling attention to construction that’s dangerously close to the few remaining, now contaminated, water bodies.
Madhu is a former banker who taught herself organic farming and is deeply invested in how food systems change and how that affects sustainability.
Lubna works with Save Our Urban Lakes, an organization that fights to protect Hyderabad’s lakes. Runoff from industrial plants and sewage have made a once-thriving ecosystem filthy and uninhabitable for wildlife.
This film takes a poetic approach in addressing the loss of bird habitats, shedding light on destructive practices that aren’t always directly visible but are responsible for damaging the health of the city. The effect on bird habitats portends serious consequences for people living in cities. Like the canary warning coal miners of the levels of methane, bird ecology can serve as an indicator of urban health.
This is not a quaint story about a particular city. It’s about taking a close look at the changes taking place in one urban example—searching for the context of these stories and seeking solutions. While the film’s focus is in Hyderabad, the questions raised resonate globally as cities elsewhere are experiencing the effects of development and climate change.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Laj P. Waghray
PRODUCER Laj P. Waghray
CO-PRODUCER Ramon Rivera Moret
IMPACT PRODUCER Malini Pershad Waghray
WEBSITE redcranefilms.org
The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Support a TFC Fiscal Sponsorship Project
Please help support this project with a tax deductible contribution. The “donate” button below will take you to PayPal, but a PayPal account is not required to make a donation. You can check out 2 ways:
- Use your PayPal account
- Check out as a guest by selecting “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” (no PayPal account is required)
Transaction Fee
Please consider covering the PayPal transaction fee by selecting the “I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing” box on the next page. This will ensure your intended full donation amount will be received for the project.
Alternate Donation Payment Methods
If you prefer to donate by check, Zelle, ACH, or wire transfer, please email us for instructions.
Stock Donations
TFC accepts stock donations. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are giving 20% more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation, since you will not pay capital gains taxes on the donated stock. Learn more here.
Please email us for instructions to donate stock to a fiscally sponsored project.
Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Donations
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations. TFC accepts DAF donations and is on file with most major DAF companies. Provide your DAF TFC’s Tax ID: 32-0295081. If we are already on file with your DAF company, they will process the donation.
If TFC is not already on file with your DAF company, please email us for instructions.
Tax Receipts
In compliance with IRS rules, tax receipts for your charitable gift are issued for the amount The Film Collaborative receives after payment processor fees are deducted. The Film Collaborative emails tax receipts in PDF format within 30 days of your online donation. The “receipt” that is immediately sent to you from PayPal after you donate is just a payment receipt, not the tax receipt.
Matching Donations
Many companies have matching gift programs and can help you double your donation to a project of your choosing. Sometimes these programs will match a donation up to a year after it was originally made! Check with your employer—if they have a matching gift program, they will provide you with instructions.
End of Year Giving
November, December, and January are big giving months each year. Donors top up their annual giving in November and December. January is a new fiscal year, and some donors start their giving for the next fiscal year early. Some donors even give at the end of the year and again in January since these donations fall into different fiscal years.
Donors tend to make their large year-end donation decisions before the holidays start. In 2024, that means before December 20. TFC can accept donations by wire, ACH, and Zelle until 5:00pm Eastern Time on December 31. Online donations by credit or debit card can be made until 11:59pm Pacific Time on December 31.