Sam Rao

Sam Rao is an independent filmmaker whose journey began in 2015, assisting on short films by FTII graduates, one of which went on to win a National Award. He later moved to Mumbai, where he worked as an editor and social media manager, building a strong foundation in storytelling and digital content.

Between 2016 and 2019, Sam worked closely with Baba Azmi at Azmi Pictures Pvt. Ltd. as Chief Assistant Director and Post Production Supervisor. This period played a key role in shaping his approach to filmmaking. Through this association, he was also exposed to and worked around some of the most respected names in Indian cinema and theatre, including Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Javed Akhtar, Anjum Rajabali, Namrata Goel, Danish Husain, Soahil Sen and Udit Narayan.

After the lockdown, Sam returned to Cooch Behar and founded Little Hamlet Films with the aim of building a sustainable creative ecosystem in North Bengal and the Northeast. Since then, he has been actively directing and producing short films, documentaries and music videos. His documentary on the butterflies of Sikkim was recognised by the Government of Sikkim and appreciated by the Hon’ble Forest Minister Shri Pintso Namgyal Lepcha.

Currently, he is developing feature films and web series under Little Hamlet Films, with a strong focus on original writing. His larger vision is to create space for emerging voices from the Northeast and bring their stories to a wider audience with honesty and craft.