Sagi Sree Hari Varma, Director of ‘Signal’ which won the Best International Short Film Mini award at the SF3 Film festival in Sydney, also seen is festival director Angela Blake.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
The Italian sci-fi horror short film ‘Signal’, written and directed by Sagi Sree Hari Varma of Visakhapatnam, received the Best International Short Film Mini award at the SF3 Film Festival held in Sydney, Australia. ‘Signal’ stood out from among the 400 qualified entries from across the globe.
The short film shot entirely in Italy, had earlier won four awards at the ‘Cinemadamare’ festival in July 2025. Originally conceived as a “proof of concept” to pitch a feature-length project, the short film received wide appreciation. “I am thrilled to see ‘Signal’ receiving appreciation from audiences across the globe. The reception we’ve had at screenings has been beyond my wildest expectations and has given me immense confidence to push forward,” Mr. Sree Hari Varma told The Hindu on Wednesday (February 4).
Buoyed by the tremendous success of the short film, he announced his plans to develop the concept into a full-length feature film, promising to expand its unique brand of sci-fi horror for a global audience. The director expressed profound gratitude to his parents, family and friends for their unwavering support, and extended a special thanks to SF3 Festival Director Angela Blake for her support throughout his journey.
The film festival hosted screenings in various categories at the renowned Sydney Opera House and at the iconic Palace Chauvel Cinema. SF3 boasts of a judging panel of industry titans, including top directors, producers, and cinematographers from Australia, America, and Africa. The festival is further distinguished by its esteemed ambassadors, such as legendary filmmakers Phillip Noyce and Pieter De Vries.
The film also received accolades from noted Hollywood directors Ted Melfi and Tarsem Singh in the past.
Sree Hari Varma expressed his gratitude to his parents S. V. S. N. Raju, an executive engineer in the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) and Sagi Anuradha, a homemaker, for their constant support.
Sree Hari Varma plans to screen ‘Signal’ at Los Angeles in a few months, and is optimistic that it will receive wide appreciation there also.
Published – February 04, 2026 08:41 pm IST
