MUMBAI: TV18 has teamed up with the Department of Social Communications Media at Mumbai’s Sophia Polytechnic to award excellence in documentary filmmaking.

The initiative, that aims to encourage young female talent in the fields of communications and broadcast journalism will award winners with an annual trophy, and a cash prize of Rs 50,000. An independent panel of industry professionals and senior educational staff will judge the students.

The first award, given out recently, was bagged by a documentary titled: Mom and Dad, made by Naina Panemanglor, Yashaswini S R, Chinmayi Shalya, Pallavi Joshi, Neha Belvalkar, Priyanka Bhuyan, Kavita Carneiro, Anshika Varma and Priyanka Mehra.

At the award ceremony held recently, The Cell network creative director Zubin Driver said, “This is an excellent platform for women filmmakers to showcase their talent. This initiative will also kickstart a long term relationship between TV18 and Sophia Polytechnic, which includes course interventions, internships and workshops that will involve real time media experience.”

TV18 Group managing editor Senthil Chengalvarayan was the chief guest on the occasion.