Dr Lakshmi Bose is an independent filmmaker, artist, and former researcher and lecturer in political sociology at the University of Cambridge, where she remains a consultant at the Hannah Arendt Consortium on Crisis and Political Transformation. Her deep interest in political change and a background in theatre/visual arts enabled her to bridge her academic expertise with the realm of cultural production. She founded Shmi Shmi Productions, a multi-media company that aims to foster nuanced public conversations around philosophy, conflict, and social transformation through narrative and factual storytelling.
In 2023, she produced The Disciple, a theatrical production for local UK cultural venues that explored the populist political machinations of ancient Greece. The following year, she produced a docu-short about sustainability in the UK floral industry (in post-production), and a short film, Nonna, (now on the festival circuit) which tells the story of an Italian grandmother who breaks free from traditional social structures by insisting on driving.
Lakshmi is now working on an exciting new slate of projects that champion diverse narratives and perspectives on global challenges. Her first feature, currently in development, follows a female singer navigating India’s medieval religious conflicts through the poet Kabir’s philosophies. She has also partnered with France-based Spirit Productions to consult on a film exploring the influence of ancient Indian philosophy on the modern world, building on the success of the pilot short, Rose de Chine, which was previewed at Cannes. Additionally, she is co-producing an Italian-German film that examines disappearing ways of life amongst Europe’s ethnic minorities.
When not otherwise engaged, you can find her doodling away on her pet project, a graphic novel called Smallpox Jane.