Director | PRODUCER | SCREENWRItER
© Just Be Nice Studios MMXXII
BIOGRAPHY
Souvid Datta is an emerging freelance director, producer and screenwriter. Spanning documentary, narrative and commercial worlds, his award-winning work explores humanism and systems of power.
JIJO (he/they) is an emerging freelance director, producer and screenwriter, most recently working as Deputy Head of Creative and Senior Director at RDContent. Spanning documentary, narrative and commercial worlds, his award-winning visual storytelling explores humanism, contemporary culture and systems of power.

Raised between India and the UK, his pursuit of impact storytelling has earned recognitions such as IMDb’s New Filmmaker of the Year, a Cannes Young Director Award nomination, Best Director at the LA Music Video Awards 2021, Best Documentary at Cannes Short Film Festival, a place on BFI x BAFTA Crew 2021, and most recently BAFTA Connect.

Human stories are the heart of JIJO's work, investigating issues like social justice, human rights, the environment and culture, taking him to over 60 countries. From the frontlines of the Syrian refugee crisis, to the bustling metropolises of East Africa, the shadow of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, to environmental hotspots across China and South Asia, Souvid has produced multimedia reports, films and commercials for clients including Google, Microsoft, National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Ernst & Young, Universal Music Group, BBC Studios, TIME and The Guardian.

As a photographer, he’s shot editorials and reportage features all over the world, from Kenya to Kathmandu, with exhibitions in London’s Saatchi Gallery, the Houses of Parliament, the Indian Alliance Congress, Royal Geographic Society & Bibliotheque National de France.

He’s the writer of four short films, and his latest drama, Moonlight Dreams was selected in several Oscar and Bafta-qualifying festivals, premiering in the UK at Raindance 2020 and launching online on Nowness and Omeleto. Earlier in 2020, his first narrative series, F*ckbois - a 6 episode 30min comedy-drama exploring masculinity and mental health - was optioned by Hooked. He is currently writing his debut feature film, a present-day sci-fi-drama.

In factual, his documentary work has previewed at Sundance London 2020 receiving BFI YACF and Creative England support, nd most recently, he produced Trust Me an experimental documentary short on mental health supported by the BFI Doc Society, produced through his production company Just Be Nice Studios, releasing in 2023.

He also works as an accomplished self-shooting producer/director, with broadcast credits for BBC2, BBC4, Paramount+, Channel 4, Discovery Asia and Film Division India.

For music videos, clients have included Decca Records, Universal Music Group, Bucks Music Group, Oriyon Music and more. And in the arts, he directed 6-part performance film series Silent Spaces co-commissioned by The British Museum, WeTransfer, Arts Council England and the SDA Charity. 

JIJO's aim is to continue creating cinematic stories that foster empathy and challenge minds. 
CONTACT
UK / EUROPE PRODUCTION
hello@justbenice.tv
COMMERCIALS / TV
fiona@justbenice.tv
RECOGNITIONS
Music Video Awards - 'Silent Spaces' - Best Director
Raindance Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
SUNDANCE LONDON - 'SWIMMING FOR SURVIVAL' - PREVIEW Selection
Rhode Island International Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Semi-Finalist
London Independent Film Festival - 'Shadow Boxer' - Official Selection
Calcutta International Short Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
New Wave Short Film Festival - 'Shadow Boxer' - Official Selection
New Generations Independent Indian Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Calcutta Cult Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Tagore Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Jaipur International Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Cannes Young Director Award - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Nominated
New York Indian Film Festival - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Official Selection
Cannes Short Film Festival - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Best Documentary
IMDb New Filmmaker of the Year - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Winner
Prime Documentaries - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Official Selection
Lumix Festival - 'India's Coal Rush' - Official Selection
hClub - Emerging Creatives Award
Anthem awards - 'chris's story' - Nominated Best social awareness video
International Music Video Awards - 'Silent Spaces' - Nominated Best Music Video Series
Interfilm Festival  - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
London Shorts - 'Shadow Boxer' - Best Action Short
New York Indian Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
New Indie Film Festival of London - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Goa Short Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Official Selection
Sunday Shorts - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Semi-Finalist
Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Special Jury Award
Best Shorts Competition - 'Moonlight Dreams' - Winner
Adobe Creative Residency - 'Storytelling for a New Era' - Funding Awardee
Film the House - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Best Director
1.4 Awards 2019 - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Shortlist
Berlin Commercial - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Shortlist
Austin Micro Short Film Festival - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Official Selection
Prisma Awards - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Offcial Selection
Film Shortage - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Daily Short Pick
Nowness - 'Gladiators on Wheels' - Nowness Picks
COLLABORATORS
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