Acclaimed Punjabi filmmaker Shamsher Singh’s latest short animation film “Crying Earth” has won an award for Best Animation Film on the Environment at the prestigious East Village New York Film Festival, New York, USA held on March 30, 2025. The 18 minutes animation film, which is an engaging and visually rich narrative, blends storytelling and animation to deliver a powerful message about environmental responsibility and peace.
Set on an alien planet, Crying Earth explores a conflict between two families of different species who blame each other for environmental degradation. Their ongoing strife is disrupted by the arrival of two astronauts from Earth, who offer guidance on co-existence and pollution control. But the twist comes when the alien families urge the Earthlings to first fix their own home planet before advising others—a thought-provoking reminder of Earth’s ongoing ecological crisis.
The inspiration behind the film is deeply personal. Shamsher Singh, along with his wife Ramandeep Kaur and daughter Mansiratpreet Kaur, are passionate environmentalists, actively volunteering for local green initiatives. The trio actively participate in volunteer campaigns promoting a cleaner, greener Earth. Their shared commitment to environmental protection seeded the idea of Crying Earth.
The film was written and directed by Shamsher Singh, and produced by Ramandeep Kaur under the banner of Kaag Film Productions. The project was completed in November 2024 at their film and animation studio in Punjab, India. Adding a special family touch to the film, their daughter Mansiratpreet Kaur plays a lead role in the film as the young astronaut.
One of the notable challenges during production was seamlessly integrating live-action performances into a fully animated world posed a unique production challenge, but the team successfully brought the vision to life with a compelling blend of creativity and message-driven storytelling.
Speaking about the film, Shamsher Singh shared, “By creating this short animation film, I am hoping to educate people about the importance of reducing pollution and saving Mother Earth. The film aims to highlight the devastating effects of pollution on our environment and the urgent need for collective action. I want it to inspire eco-friendly habits and environmental responsibility, especially in children and young adults, who are the future stewards of our planet.”
Following its win in New York, Crying Earth has been submitted to several other film festivals both in India and abroad. The team is optimistic about continuing the film’s journey across global platforms.
Looking ahead, Shamsher Singh and Ramandeep Kaur are already in development on their next short animation film, this time focusing on the theme of women empowerment, signaling their continued commitment to socially conscious storytelling through cinema.
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