World-renowned speaker and author, Dr. Deepak Chopra, joins as Executive Producer on the award-winning short documentary BAREFOOT EMPRESS. Directed by Michelin Star Chef and social impact filmmaker Vikas Khanna, and produced by Academy Award nominated Doug Roland, BAREFOOT EMPRESS follows the remarkable journey of 96-year-old Karthyayani Amma as she joins a first grade class, realizing her lifelong dream of receiving an education.
Inspired by Khanna’s own grandmother who was not given an opportunity at an education, Khanna has partnered with non-profit Leap to Shine to use the film to raise funds in service of providing high quality education for girls in underserved communities in India. To date, BAREFOOT EMPRESS has helped rehabilitate eleven classrooms in India, with many more on the way. Speaking about the film, Dr. Chopra said, “Barefoot Empress carries a universal message of hope and perseverance that has the power to move viewers, and the momentum to impact the lives of thousands of girls in India.”
BAREFOOT EMPRESS has won numerous film festival awards including the Biogen Award at Oscar-qualifying Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFA). Khanna’s previous film, “The Last Color,” received international recognition, winning best narrative feature at the Dallas International Film Festival, among other awards. Roland’s last film “Feeling Through” was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Among many notable accolades, Dr. Deepak Chopra was named “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century” by TIME Magazine.