Souvid Datta

Souvid Datta 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 Music Video Awards 2021, Best Documentary at Cannes Short Film Festival, and a place on BFI x BAFTA Crew 2021.

Human stories are the heart of Souvid’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, 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 previewed at Sundance London 2020 receiving BFI YACF and Creative England support for feature production with Singer Films. And in 2022, he is producing an experimental short documentary film on mental health supported by the BFI Doc Society.

He also works as an accomplished self-shooting producer/director, with broadcast credits PD'ing for Lost Musicians of India, a 6-part documentary series for Channel 4 (2017), as second-unit director for BBC4's Rhythms of India (2019), and PD for Film Division's City Symphonies (2021).

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

Souvid’s aim is to continue creating cinematic stories that foster empathy and challenge minds.