Mira Nair Joins MasterClass to Teach Independent Filmmaking

MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair will offer her first ever online class exclusively through its platform. In her new class on independent filmmaking, Nair will share her methods for directing powerful performances, maximizing budgets, and bringing authentic stories to life. Nair's class is now available at www.masterclass.com/mn. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.

"Since the release of Mississippi Masala in the early 90's, Mira has been making independent films that transcend borders and cultures, and captivate audiences with authentic and bold storytelling," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "She unapologetically tells the stories that she wants to tell in the way that she wants to tell them, and encourages her students to do the same. We're honored to have her bring her unique perspective to the MasterClass community."

As one of the most acclaimed independent filmmakers, Nair is recognized around the world for telling relatable and authentic stories that transcend cultural, ethnic, and geographic boundaries, while casting unknown actors alongside Hollywood and Bollywood stars. After graduating from Delhi University and Harvard, Nair got her start directing documentaries before making the jump to independent feature films with her narrative debut, Salaam Bombay! in 1988, which won the Camera d'Or and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Spanning more than three decades, Nair's body of work includes the critically acclaimed and award-winning films Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and most recently, Queen of Katwe, a film starring Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo. Nair's forthcoming adaptation of A Suitable Boy for BBC is set to be released in 2020.

"I wanted to teach this MasterClass to demystify the process of what it takes to make an idea come alive on screen," said Nair. "This class is for anyone who has the passion and sometimes the obsession to tell a story, and the tenacity one needs to never give up until the idea is alive on screen. I always encourage my students to have something to say and to feel intensely about it, and to always remember that if you don't tell your own story, no one else will."

In her MasterClass, Nair will share her UNCOMPROMISING approach to directing her award-winning films. Students will learn how to tell authentic stories with a big impact on a small budget, evoke the best performances from actors and non-actors alike, and use rhythm and juxtaposition of scenes in the edit to alter the mood of the film. Nair will teach students how to protect their own creative vision, and encourage students to realize the power of their own roots as they transform their story into a film that transcends cultural specificity to find a global audience. In a workshop of a scene from Nair's award-winning film, Queen of Katwe, students witness the filmmaker doing what she does best - working with two actors, all the way from the first read-through to an emotionally powerful take.

MasterClass continues to expand classes across existing and new categories, bringing leading instructors to its engaged base of subscribers. MasterClass provides educational, inspiring, and engaging classes taught by the world's greatest minds. With more than 45 classes that dive into processes, techniques and philosophies, MasterClass helps students progress more rapidly towards their own mastery, explore a new passion, or learn a new skill. It offers a unique learning experience, including video lessons, interactive exercises, course materials, peer interaction, and more. All classes are available as part of an annual subscription for $180, or for individual purchase at $90 for lifetime access to the class, and can be accessed online at www.masterclass.com or on the MasterClass mobile app for iOS and Android.

Founded in 2015, MasterClass started with the idea that everyone should have "access to genius." The premier online education platform provides affordable, engaging, and inspirational online classes taught by world-renowned instructors, MAKING IT possible for anyone to learn from the best.

MasterClass' current roster of courses includes:

Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking), Dominique Ansel (French pastry)

Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Spike Lee (filmmaking), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaking), Mira Nair (independent filmmaking)

Music & Entertainment: Armin van Buuren (dance music), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Steve Martin (comedy), Tom Morello (electric guitar)

Writing: James Patterson (writing), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), RL Stine (writing for young audiences), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Dan Brown (writing)

Design, Photography, and Fashion: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)

Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker)

Politics, Economics and Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), Karl Rove and David Axelrod (politics), Paul Krugman (economics and society)

Science: Chris Hadfield (space exploration)

For more information, please visit www.masterclass.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass

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