Riding high on the remarkable success of her recent hit Pagglait, acclaimed filmmaker Guneet Monga to be conferred with the honour of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), the second-highest civilian French honour.
Guneet is an Indian film producer, a BAFTA nominee and amongst the first producers from India to be inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment that has been at the helm of pushing content-driven cinema with films like The Lunchbox, Masaan, What will people say, Soorarai Pottaru, Haramkhor, Peddlers and Oscar-Winning Short Film Documentary - Period, End of Sentence to name a few. Guneet is one of the most renowned filmmakers not just in India but also across the globe, symbolising the victory of content with her projects.
In a collaborative effort to uplift Indian female content creators across the globe, Guneet co-founded the cinema collective- Indian Women Rising which aided the run of the critically acclaimed short film 'Bittu' at the Oscars. Honouring the varied accomplishments of the young filmmaker barring the geographical boundaries with content that resonates with audience beyond the demographical bounds, the French Consulate has decided to offer the title to Guneet.
Guneet would be felicitated at a ceremony in Delhi on April 13, 2021, by the Ambassador of France to India, on behalf of the French authorities. Celebrating the diverse range of work by Guneet, the prestigious distinction is a mark of appreciation for her invaluable contribution to world cinema.
Earlier, Indian celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Nandita Das, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Anurag Kashyap, Kalki Koechlin, amongst others have been felicitated by the honour, along with international biggies like Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Willis, amongst others.