Hello, Bonjour, Namaste

My name is Neha Bhatia. I am a Postdoc Research Fellow in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Antwerp, supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Program and the Young Universities for the Future of Europe Alliance.

The postdoc research project, broadly speaking, examines the values, beliefs and practices of creatives producing Indian independent and art-house cinema in the era of global digital transformations. It explores their work world at the intersection of neoliberal-nationalist industry structures, international film festivals, co-productions, streaming culture and generative artificial intelligence.

My research and teaching interests are film and media industries studies, their political-economic structures, creative labour and production cultures, as well as Indian cinema, film festival studies, and transnational/world cinema. I am open to collaborations and will be glad to answer any questions you may have!

Through my PhD, I specialize in film and media industry studies, focusing specifically on the contemporary transnational production culture between India and Europe for independent and art-house films. My doctoral thesis includes the first empirical study of one of the most underrepresented figures in the Indian film industry — producers and their work world.

Based on my multicultural background and international academic experiences at universities across India, Canada and Europe, I encourage the exchange of diverse perspectives and opinions to stimulate creativity and critical thinking in the classroom.

Besides research and teaching, I have also worked as a production intern in the Calgary film and media industry. Additionally, I led and collaborated on equity, diversity and inclusion projects within academia and industry.